Kōngxū
by MonsterSlut
Summary: I used to think a lot of things about Oliver Queen-reckless, playboy, foolish. Hero, brother, friend-that was never one of them. I never thought that Oliver would be the type of man to have your back...to repay him for looking after me, I promised, in blood, to help him right the wrongs done to Starling City. After five years on a hellish island...there's work that needs to be done
1. Chapter 1

**++++++ I honestly couldn't resist! There is a lack of Arrow OC fics on this site so I decided to give it a go! I am a fan of Olicity but there are still not enough OC fics out there. **

**I do not have a beta so all mistakes are my own and I will try and keep them down to a minimum. **

**I do not own Arrow, all rights belong to their respective creators ++++++**

**One**

Imagine that the last thing that you ever tell your mother is that you hated her.

Imagine the pain you would feel because on that one occasion you didn't swallow your pride, hug her and tell her that you love her but you'll be okay.

Well I don't have to.

I didn't know my mother was trying to protect me, all I knew was that she was trying to stop me from ruining her dreams of my life and making the biggest mistake I could have ever made by getting on the boat with my father.

I thought it was cool to go to work with my dad on a three week vacation to China. At sixteen, I'd be able to tell all my friends that I got to spend three weeks on a yacht with party boy Oliver Queen-yes he had a girl with him but hey-I still got to spend three weeks on a yacht. I didn't care about school or the fact that my parents were going through a divorce, all I cared about was being able to brag to my friends, I mean-what sixteen-year old wouldn't?

Given what I know now, I still would have gotten on that boat but instead of yelling at her I'd hug her and tell her I love her.

Every day, every goddamn single day I was on that miserable island all I thought about was my mother and how she told me that the Queen's were dangerous and that my father was working for dangerous people.

I should have listened to her than but even now I wouldn't listen.

For five years I thought about her but with every passing day, her face drifted further and further away until I could no longer remember what she looked like, only a laugh, maybe a flash of a smile but nothing whole, nothing solid.

If I had been alone, I would have died but thankfully, I wasn't.

Oliver Queen, the only son of Robert Queen also survived. Every girl dreams to be stuck on a deserted island with their ultimate crush but the reality of it was harsher than anything I'd ever experienced in my life. Oliver was seven years older than myself and although we knew virtually nothing about each other he looked after me.

We weren't always this close, in fact, we were at each others throats to begin with when really we should have been helping each other. I don't remember much after the boat sank, only that Robert wanted his son to right all his wrongs and made him promise to do so before he shot himself…

How Oliver was supposed to right Robert's wrongs after being stuck at sea, had me stumped. If we didn't have each other I'm sure we would have gone mad.

The island tested us.

It pushed us and tortured us but in the end, it made us better than who we were-me most of all.

We learnt to do things on that island, it stripped us down to our bare essentials, leaving us raw and exposed before building us up bit by bit until we became stronger.

I lost track of day and months than very soon years.

Oliver swiftly went from crush to big brother in a manner of months. Don't get me wrong, the selfish Oliver Queen took a while to get rid of, he stuck around for a while until realizing that there was no way he could get off the island without becoming something better.

Me? I was a sponge, easier to mold. I was obsessed with three things, Doctor Who, parkour and hard metal music. A teenagers mind is truly void of many things.

We could have lived a whole life out on that island and died there alone and no one would have known. But we were lucky, we were lucky and were found by some Chinese fishermen who were fishing in the coastal waters off the edge of the island.

Oliver and I didn't realize how much the world had changed...neither of us were ready to return to Starling City and see how far into hell it had gone.

The rich had gotten richer whilst the poor suffered and died.

I didn't know how Oliver intended to right his father's wrongs but after five years on that hellish island, there was no way he was leaving me behind. In blood, I swore I would help him, and if I had to spill blood to do so-so be it. Oliver had spilt enough blood for me.

The name of the island they found us on is called 'Lian Yu'. It's Mandarin for 'purgatory'.

And in all honesty, that's what it felt like.

It felt like Oliver and I had been punished, thrown into purgatory for something in our past.

It was hard to not take it personally at first.

It was the happiest day of my life when we were rescued on that island, the fishermen that found us gave us warm clothes, proper food and delivered us to civilization.

I couldn't wait to see my mother again, my sisters, but the knowledge that there was a job to do weighed heavily on my mind. I had no idea how Oliver planned to do it.

When we were brought back to Starling City, Oliver and I were given separate evaluations from physical to psychological. I was x-rayed, given MRI's, asked a million questions that I didn't know the answer to so I didn't say anything.

It was late at night when I first heard the shriek in the corridor outside my room. I used to be able to tell the time but the city lights were messing with the sky. I already missed the silence.

I pulled the pillow over my head as I sat on the floor, suddenly regretting the fact I was home and alive. Oliver wasn't here, he was in the room beside mine, I'd heard his mother in with him earlier.

"River?" a timid voice called out. "River…it's mum."

I pulled the pillow down a little, keeping my face covered and my hand gripped around the scalpel I had stolen. The first weapon I had, was confiscated, the scalpel was easier to hide.

"River, honey…where are you?" she asked, her heals on the ground came to a stop just at the end of my bed. A small gasp escaped her mouth. "River, honey…what are you doing on the floor?"

I tucked the scalpel underneath the chest of drawers before pulling the pillow completely off my face. My mother had aged gracefully in the past five years, the green eyes that my mother and siblings had stared down at me, trying to make something of me. She knelt down in front of me, hesitantly putting her hand on my arm.

The first thing I noticed was the wedding ring on her finger. The new wedding ring.

"Mum," I whispered.

That word sounded so foreign to me.

Mum.

She pressed herself forward, wrapping her arms around me and squeezing me tight.

I winced internally, ignoring the pain from the bruises I'd gotten from Oliver a few days ago. He was better at close quarters, using strength to fight, I was more of a hit and run type, striking than coming back, hitting major organs to kill someone.

I put my arms around her and buried my face in her shoulder.

She smelt like fake apples and cinnamon.

That same smell I'd forgotten.

I closed my eyes and sighed, the sound of sirens roaring in the distance bore into my bones.

Yup…I was certainly home.

* * *

_…__Oliver Queen is alive. _

_The Starling City resident was found by fishermen in the South China Sea two days ago. Five years after he was missing and presumed dead following the accident at sea which claimed The Queen's Gambit. _

_…__Queen is the son of Starling City billionaire Robert Queen, who was also aboard but now officially confirmed as deceased. _

_…__five years after disappearing in a boating accident. Trust fund bad boy Oliver Queen isn't the only survivor of the ill-fated voyage. River Quinn, daughter of Queen's Head of Security, Roger Quinn, believed deceased, has been confirmed to have survived. _

_…__their return has everyone talking. Where were they? And how did they survive all those years?_


	2. Chapter 2

**++++++ I do apologize if any of you think Oliver is OOC but in the show he was alone, in my universe, he had someone to share the horrors of the island with him. So in saying that they have a close relationship, a very strong bond. River is a little sister to him so he lets his guard down around her ++++++**

**++++++ I do not own Arrow or any affiliated characters apart from my OC. All rights belong to the creators ++++++**

**Two**

I suppose it was too much to ask to go home with Oliver.

In five years I'd practically been by his side the whole time, I knew he was there even if he wasn't exactly by my side. The doctor told my mother that she could take me home but they had scheduled me in for counseling three times a week-something about having PTSD and a wide variety of other psychosis.

Whilst the doctors filled out my discharge papers, my mother took off to get me some clothes and some essentials. She came back an hour later with some simple clothes, a smile on her face. She told me that we could go shopping in a few days and organize a wardrobe.

"Your sisters are so happy that you're coming home," she grinned as she dropped some clothes on the bed. "It's all Molly and Angela have been talking about since we got the phone call."

I picked up the pile of tank tops she'd gotten me, clearly the doctor hadn't told her where all my scars and burns were when he'd spoken to her. When the nurse first saw me, she could only look at me in pity, mumbling something about someone so pretty being so scared. That's why I was wearing a long sleeved shirt. I'm proud of my scars, of every single one-they all told a story-were a badge of honor. "Um-mum…I can get dressed on my own," I spoke in a barely audible whisper.

She stopped in mid action, with a sigh, my mother put down the shirt and patted me on the shoulder. "My poor baby, I can only imagine what happened to you on that island. It's all Queen's-"

"Don't!" I snapped, grabbing her wrist tightly. "Don't you dare blame Oliver for this!"

The doctor knocked on the door and opened it. "Mrs Wilson?" he spoke, asking for my mother. "I've got the paperwork sorted, would you like to come and sign them?"

Mrs Wilson? I frowned. She even took the name of the man who married her after we died. I released her hand, she rubbed it and looked at me with pity.

"Thank you, Doctor Nemo," she whispered, stepping out with him.

I growled under my breath and went into the bathroom to get cleaned up and changed. My mother still wasn't here so I let myself out and knocked on the door to Oliver's room.

An immaculately dressed woman waved me in. She gave me a soft smile and came over to hug me. "You must be River. I'm Moira Queen, Oliver's mother."

"Hello Mrs Queen," I nodded.

"Please, call me Moira," she urged me. Moira Queen does not seem like the type of person to be called by Moira unless it was by anyone of her social class. At least that was my opinion of her. "Are you looking for Oliver?"

I nodded again. "The doctor said I could go home," I whispered. "I wanted to see Oliver, I haven't seen him since they separated us."

Moira dug around in her handbag and produced a business card. "River, if you ever wanted to talk, come around and see Oliver, call this number and someone will come and pick you up. You are more than welcome in the Queen house at any time. Day or night."

I reluctantly took the card. "Thank you, Mrs Queen."

"River!" my mother shouted from my room. Her voice was laced with panic. "River!" she came passed the room but stopped when she saw I was standing there with Moira Queen. She gasped and clutched her chest. "Don't do that!" she whispered.

The bathroom door opened and Oliver stepped out. He looked so much better without the beard and shaggy hair. He gave me a smile. "Are you going home?"

I nodded. "Warden's letting me leave."

Oliver looked over at my mother with his bright, blue eyes. "Mrs Quinn."

Moira walked over to my mother. "Perhaps you and I should let these two talk, Mrs Quinn."

She cleared her throat. "It's Wilson, Ella Wilson…but…okay…"

Wilson…I shivered internally at that name.

Once Moira and my mother were gone, I rushed over to Oliver and hugged him tightly. "I can't do this," I whispered. "The noise, the lights, the smell of everything is freaking me out."

I could feel him smile. "Yes, you can. We both have to. Remember?"

I nodded. "Yes, I do. I made you a promise." We both separated and I fixed my jacket up. "How are you so composed and I'm a mental wreck?"

Oliver paused. "Because I know that I have a job to do. As much as I don't want you helping me, you'll follow me until I let you."

I smiled. That was one thing Oliver liked about me-I was stubborn as a mule. It helped most of the time but there was times where it didn't. "You're mum gave me a number to call…if it's okay that I come over, of course."

"Why wouldn't it be?" he frowned.

"My mother thinks this is all your fault," I warned him. "She's already tried to blame you for what happened. Not that it's anyone's fault. It's like blaming your neighbor for an earthquake or a volcano."

Oliver glanced out the door to look at our mothers. "Your mother is getting impatient to take you home."

I rolled my eyes. "Seems that way-she remarried…wonder to who…"

"I'll call you in the morning," Oliver told me.

"You don't have the number," I frowned.

He raised an eyebrow. "I'm a Queen, I'm sure I can find it."

I hugged him again. "I can't believe we're home…we could have died on that island."

"But we didn't," Oliver reminded me. "Remember that. Everything that happened brought us back here. I have to fore fill my father's wishes."

I nodded. I had promised in blood to help Oliver. I would help him like my father helped his father. I'm sure Daniel Quinn had done many bad things by Robert Queen's orders, but in those past few months, I could see my father becoming a different man. Not the man my mother painted him as. It didn't bother her that his job kept her clothed and fed and living in a massive apartment, but I could see that it was bothering him in those last months. "Talk to you in the morning?" I smiled.

"Sure thing, twitch," he smirked.

"Don't call me that," I grumbled as I went to join my mother.

* * *

_"__Storms a category two. Captain's recommending we head back."_

_I stuck my head out of the cabin that my father and I were staying in. One of the conditions of my stay aboard the Queen's Gambit was that I stayed out of the way. This storm had me worried, I had been on chat with my girls Chloe and Leah only for the signal to drop out._

_"__Is it really that serious?" Robert asked, frowning at the news. _

_I could see two men standing in the hallway. _

_"__When even the captain looks seasick, I take that as a bad sign."_

_"__Not even two days out…alright. Back to Bahrain. You'll inform the crew?"_

_He nodded and walked passed the waiting Oliver._

_"__We in trouble?" Oliver frowned. _

_"__One of us is," Robert warned. _

_Oliver cleared his throat. "Yeah. She and I…just kind of happened."_

_"__Things don't happen to us, Oliver. They happen because of us. I wish that would settle in," Robert sighed. _

_Oliver raised an eyebrow. "If I wanted a lecture. I'd be back at Stanford. Or Berkley. Or Reed."_

_I heard a woman calling out. _

_"__You know, that won't finish well. For either of them, or you," he told his son. _

_Oliver shrugged. "What can you do?" he asked, turning to head back to his room. _

_Robert turned and stopped when he saw me watching. "Are you okay, River?" he asked me, ignoring the fact that I'd just heard all that. "You're looking a little pale."_

_I shrugged. "Never been in a storm before," I confessed. _

_"__Take a walk," Robert suggested. "Nothing worse than sitting there letting it get to you. Seen much of the boat?"_

_I shook my head. "No. I promised dad I'd stay out of the way."_

_Robert chuckled. "No problem, River. Your dad used to bring you round all the time when you were little. Come on, I'll show you around."_

_I grinned and grabbed my jacket. "Thanks, Mr Queen."_


	3. Chapter 3

**++++++ I do not own Arrow or any affiliated characters apart from my OC. All rights belong to the shows creators ++++++ **

**++++++ I do not have a beta, so all mistakes are my own. Please accept my apologize ++++++**

**Three**

The drive home was awkward and quiet. My mother was driving a minivan with evidence of children all over it. There was a baby seat in the back fitted out for a boy and soccer balls in the boot. The whole way through the city and into the suburbs my mother tried to update me on current events and what the family had been up to, she never mentioned her husband, I guess she was waiting for him to meet me.

So I had a mysterious step-father and a half-brother, my mother had moved out of the city and was driving a minivan-I wonder what else had changed.

The house that she pulled up into had a huge double garage at the end of a brown stone driveway. The garage had a second story above it that looked to be getting renovated and was connected to a light blue painted two story house. The front yard was closed off by a fence and the yard was covered with children's toys as well as being home to a huge golden retriever.

Underneath the street lights I could see a series of cars parked out front of the house and across the street, it looked like a party was going on.

"The renovations over the garage are almost finished," she told me. "We were going to give it to your sisters but considering that you're back, we decided that you could use the space. It's got a bathroom and a large enough bedroom."

"I don't mean to impose," I told her.

She laughed. "Nonsense, this is your home. I want you to feel comfortable, River."

"What's with all the cars?" I asked.

My mother cleared her throat. "Well your grandmother found out you were coming home and she called the whole family-"

I glared at her. "Mum!"

"I told her that it wouldn't be a good idea to have everyone over," she replied. "But they didn't want to wait. Chloe and Leah are here."

I clenched my fists, wondering if Oliver was having a better time than I was. Closing my eyes, I forced myself to control my breathing before reluctantly following her inside.

The house was warm when I finally got inside. A whole variety of smells assaulted my senses-food, drink, different varieties of perfume and cologne. Everyone was chatting in the lounge room as I froze in the entrance way.

"Ella!" a voice called out from the top of the stairs.

I looked up as the owned came down, his brown eyes studied me for a couple seconds before he hugged my mother. He was wearing a Starling City PD shield and had a gun holstered to his hip.

My mother cleared her throat. "River, I'd like you to meet Peter Wilson, my new husband."

The detective-Peter-smiled and offered me a hand to shake.

I reached out and shook it, gripping his hand as hard as I could.

"Welcome home, River," he smiled. "It's warm in here, would you like me to take your coat?"

I wrenched my hand back and shook my head. "No! I'm fine. Thank you, Peter. I'm fine."

She smiled nervously. "Come on, you have some guests waiting."

I felt around in my coat pocket and sighed when I felt that the card was still there. My mother took my other hand and pulled me out through to the back of the house where the whole family was waiting.

There had to be twenty, maybe thirty people there, some of which I remembered, others I had no idea who they were. The chatting stopped and everyone turned around to look at us-look at me.

There's too many people, I gasped, stepping backwards.

"River!" Peter frowned. "River…Ella I think she's having a panic attack. This was a bad idea. I'm going to kill Rose. I told her." He put his arms on my shoulders and steered me into the kitchen. "Sit," he ordered in a kind voice.

I sat down.

Peter walked over to get me a drink. He came back and sat down with two shot glasses and a bottle of whisky. "You're twenty-one in two months, I don't care," he told me when I gave him a weird look. "And technically, you're dead so I can't arrest you."

"Peter!" my mother frowned when she came in, someone behind her.

I grabbed the glass and drank the amber colored liquid before sitting it back down, letting him pour me another. "I'm okay…" I whispered, ignoring the burn and trying to convince myself more than them.

"River?"

It was my grandmother.

I could see her reflection in the cabinet door. Same greying hair, same plump face, same pearls around her neck.

She sat down and reached out, taking my hand. "You're skin and bones, darling," she whispered.

Skin and bones? I do not look like I've been starved, thank you.

"That island must had been horrible for you." Grandma Rose patted my hand, frowning when she saw a scar on my hand. "How did this happen, darling?"

I picked up the glass and had a second drink.

"She'll talk about it when she wants to talk about it," Peter advised her.

I may have resented him for marrying my mother but right now, Peter Wilson was a miracle. I suppose being a detective, he'd now how to handle victims. I snorted at the sound of that word, surprising the three of them. Victim? Yeah, I suppose I did think of myself as a victim but no-I'm a survivor. Not a victim.

"Where are Angela and Molly?" I asked them, trying to get them to ignore my sudden outburst.

"I'll go find them," Grandma Rose smiled. She stood up and kissed my head, leaving the lingering smell of lilac and honey.

"Mum said that CNN called again today," my mother told Peter, hurrying about to get me something to eat.

I was starving, the hospital food was just horrible. Oliver and I used to catch and cook all our food. My diet in the last five years had been mostly fish, wild boar and different types of mushrooms. I didn't know how I would go with normal, processed food.

Peter grumbled. "Tell them to bugger off next time they call. River doesn't need the stress."

Ah hello? River's sitting right here.

A plate was sat down in front of me, it had some salad, a bread role and some kind of meat on it. "The doctor said nothing too heavy, you didn't go so well with the hospital food. And no more whiskey, Peter."

Peter chuckled when he poured me another. "Five years on an island with nothing but Oliver Queen? Mother Theresa would need a bottle of whiskey."

I glared at him. "Stop making this about Oliver," I warned them. "He looked after me. You can't sit there and blame him. Robert Queen was there with me when the boat sank," I snapped. "He made sure I was safe before he went to look for his own son. Just stop blaming him!"

The two of them gave each other the look before the sounds of loud screams filled the house.

"RIVER!"

The twins came barging into the kitchen and practically tackled me off the chair.

"I missed you, River!" Molly shouted.

"Molly, not so loud," Angela warned as they hugged me.

I closed my eyes and hugged them both. If there was anything in this world I loved more than Oliver or my dad, it was the twins.

* * *

_"__What exactly does my dad do for you?" I asked Robert as he showed me around the cabin. _

_"__Security," Robert Queen answered, rather vaguely. "You're seventeen soon, correct?" the CEO asked me, changing the subject as he showed me around the boat. _

_I nodded. "Yup."_

_"__Have any carer goals in mind?" Clearly he'd been speaking with my father. _

_I shrugged. "Nothing. I'm not really good at anything."_

_Robert laughed. "Everyone's good at something," he advised me as the lightning continued to strike outside. _

_I went to open my mouth to argue when the boat suddenly shuddered. "What the hell was that?" I gasped. _

_Than everything went to hell in a mixture of blurred vision and screams. _

_It was cold…so freaking cold and I couldn't breathe. _

_Someone had a hold of me and pulled me out of the dark water. _

_I trashed about only to be forced to stop moving by someone. _

_When I opened my eyes, I could see one of the ship's crew there, Robert Queen as well, and the two of them were pulling someone out of the water. _

_Oliver. _

_The whole boat was gone. _

_Something dropped in the pit of my stomach and I screamed. "DAD!" _

**++++++ So Felicity is Oliver's tech support so what actual role should River have in team Arrow ++++++**


	4. Chapter 4

**++++++ I do not own Arrow or any affiliated characters apart from my OC. All rights belong to its creator ++++++**

**++++++ I do not have a beta so all mistakes are my own ++++++**

**Four**

The mattress was too soft.

The room too constricting.

The sheets were too hot.

The clothes were too much

Peter found me the next morning sleeping in the backyard under the table on the porch with the dog lying next to me. He knocked on the top of the table and knelt down as I woke up with a broad smile on his face. "Should have figured you couldn't handle a room anytime soon, kiddo. Better come inside before your mother calls the police."

I raised an eyebrow and he chuckled.

"There's breakfast," Peter told me, "I'm sure you remember waffles and bacon, eggs? Your mother went out full ball for your first breakfast back."

I crawled out from underneath the table and stretched. "Is it a problem?" I asked. "Me, sleeping underneath the table?"

Peter shook his head. "Not at all."

I headed into the kitchen where my mother was indeed busy working on breakfast. It smelt pretty damn good. I sat down at the table and watched her pile waffles on a plate before sitting down. "So…" I frowned, "where's the baby you guys are hiding?"

My mother stopped in her tracks.

Peter chuckled. "Frankie? He's at my sisters. Thought we'd give you a few days to get used to the idea before bringing you to see him."

The phone starting ringing in the background as I pulled a waffle onto my plate. "Where are the girls?" I asked her, noting the distinct lack of twins running around.

"Early morning soccer practice before school," my mother answered.

Peter picked the phone up. "Wilson residence, Peter speaking."

Silence.

He held the phone out to me. "It's Oliver."

I grinned. "Sneaky bastard. He said he'd find the number."

"Wants to know if you're up for a tour of Starling City," Peter told me.

My mother glared at him. "Peter-"

"I think it's a great idea," he answered. "Your boss isn't gonna give you time off work. Merlyn's a bitch at the best times. You've got that big project going and I can't stay, we're short staffed enough as it is."

I smiled. I actually liked Peter. "Tell him I'd love to go," I answered before my mother did. "I'll go figure out how to work the shower."

Peter relayed the message and nodded a couple times before he hung up. "I'll drop you off at the Queen residence."

I jumped up and headed back to the garage apartment.

"Breakfast!" my mother shouted out after me.

I rolled my eyes and came running back to grab the waffle off my plate. "Thanks mum!" I grinned.

* * *

Never in my whole life had I seen a mansion so big as the Queen Mansion.

I mean it was huge, bigger than anything I had ever seen in my whole life. You could literally fit a small world country in the whole mansion. I rang the doorbell, expecting for some kind of Addams Family bell to ring. I felt out of place on a whole new level. Never mind the awkwardness I was dealing with my own family but this was ridiculous.

The heavy wooden door opened in front of me and a maid answered. She bowed her head at me. "Please, come in Miss Quinn."

"_Spasibo, propusite_," I smiled, stepping into the huge entrance way.

The entire house was very…very…very brown.

"_Vy govorite na russkom yazyke_?" the woman asked me.

"_Da,_" I nodded. "_I, pozhaluysta, pozvonite mne reku_."

She grinned. "Welcome, Miss River."

"Strange," came a voice from the stairs, "Oliver knows Russian as well…hmm…Good morning Miss Quinn. Raisa, would you mind showing our guest here up to Oliver?"

I glanced up at the stairs to see a dark skinned British man. "Oh-hi-I'm-"

"River Quinn," he finished. "Welcome to my home. My name is Walter Steele. Any friend of Oliver's is a friend of mind. How are you holding up?"

I shrugged. "S'not so bad, I guess. Not used to it but I'm hoping that I'll get there."

"Perhaps you should stop for dinner this evening," Walter suggested. "I don't think it was smart separating the two of you, just yet. My wife, and your mother, as it seems, were rather busy having their loved ones back again."

"Can't blame them," I frowned. "I guess."

Walter smiled. "Well, if you'll excuse me, I have to get to work."

"Nice to meet you, Mr Steele," I smiled as he walked out the front doors.

The maid-Raisa-steered me towards the stairs and ushered me up to the next level of the house. I swear I could have gotten lost in the corridors. She knocked on a door and opened it. "Mr Oliver, Miss River is here."

"Thanks, Raisa," Oliver replied.

She smiled at me and headed back to her duties, leaving the two of us alone.

I closed the door behind me and went to flop on Oliver's bed-too freaking soft. "So, what's on the cards for today?" I asked him.

"My friend Tommy's going to take us on a tour of the city," Oliver answered. He grabbed his jacket and a small stone off the bed.

"Is that the Hōzen?" I asked him. "I didn't realize you still had that thing."

"It's a gift, for Thea," Oliver answered.

I raised an eyebrow. "Your sister? Can I meet her?"

Oliver paused. "I don't think you could handle Thea, twitch."

I stuck my tongue out at him. "Stop calling me that!"

He smiled. "Come on, twitch. Maybe we can look at getting you a cell phone or something."

I groaned. "Urg…civilisation sucks. I don't want a cell phone, less complicated without one. I'd rather be sixteen and innocent again." I got up and followed him down the hall. "How'd you sleep last night? Peter found me underneath the table in the backyard."

"Floor," he answered. Oliver knocked on another door and waited before opening the door.

"Ollie," a young woman spoke.

"No one's called me that in a while, Speedy," Oliver chuckled.

She groaned. "Worst nickname ever."

I came in around Oliver and smiled at her. "Hi."

She paused. "Hi…you must be River. I'm Thea."

I shook her hand. "Nice to meet you, Thea."

"You hanging with my brother today?" she asked me.

I nodded. "Yes."

Thea smiled. Her brown eyes searched me up and down. "Well, this weekend, you and me are going shopping."

I chuckled. "No, thank you. I don't have any money to do that with."

"It's on me," Thea grinned. "I'd like to get to know the person who kept my brother sane for five years."

I glanced at Oliver.

He smirked. "Don't fight it, twitch, just go with it. I have a gift for you."

He held out the Hōzen and Thea took it. "You did not come back from a deserted island with a souvenir," Thea grinned.

"It's a Hōzen," Oliver told her. "In Buddhism, it symbolizes reconnecting. I kept it, in hopes that it one day, it would reconnect me with you."

"A rock?" laughed someone behind me. "That is sweet. You know, I want one of those t-shirts that says my friend was a castaway, and all I got was this crappy shirt."

I smiled. That had to be Tommy Merlyn.

Thea laughed. "Don't let him get you two into too much trouble. You just got back take it slow."

"Come on you two cast a way's," Tommy grinned. "We've got a city to see, can you drink?" he asked me.

"Can now," I answered. "Even got a cops approval to do so. I'll be twenty-one in a few months."

Tommy chuckled. "Awesome. I like her, Oliver. You can keep her."

I laughed. Despite what my mother had to say, I liked the guy.

* * *

Translations of Russian to English as per our dear lord, Google Translate

_Spasibo, propusite _- Thank you, miss

_Vy govorite na russkom yazyke? _ - You can speak Russian

_Da_ - Yes

_I, pozhaluysta, pozvonite mne reku_ - And please, call me River


	5. Chapter 5

**++++++ I do not own Arrow or any affiliated characters apart from my OC. Keep in mind, I have no beta so all mistakes are my own ++++++**

**Five**

"You funeral blew," Tommy told Oliver as I sat in the back of his car, staring out the window at Starling City.

"Did you get lucky?" Oliver asked his friend. The mask that was Oliver Queen pre-island was on, no one would be able to tell that he was different. I was having difficulty with that, but last night, listening to Peter and my mother whisper in their bedroom, I knew that she was concerned I'd never be the same again. The doctor had told her that teenage years were very important, especially those last few years whilst your body and mind were still developing.

"This city's gone to crap," Tommy frowned when he stopped at the lights. "Your dad sold his factory just in time."

"Is this the Glades?" I asked, speaking for the first time since we got in the car.

"So you are alive back there," Tommy smirked. "And yeah, the Glades. Why'd you want to drive through this neighborhood anyway?"

"No reason," Oliver replied.

No reason my ass, I smirked.

"So what did you miss the most?" Tommy grinned. "Steaks at the palm, drinks at the station, meaningless sex?"

"Laurel," he blurted out.

I raised an eyebrow.

Tommy sighed. "Everyone is happy you're alive," he told his friend, "but you want to see the one person who isn't?"

Oliver nodded. "Yes."

Tommy cleared his throat. "Well, Laurel's a lawyer now, she works at a place called CNRI-they do a lot of free work for the poor, down trodden, that sort of thing. I'll take you but I can't guarantee that she'll be happy to see you." His eyes flickered into the rear view mirror. "Tell me you want to see something happier?"

I shrugged. "I was too young to see anything of importance. Just my friends who totally treat me like a freak and a glass flower…I don't want to see them. This day's for Ollie over there, I can wait."

"No one's called me that in a long time," he chuckled. "But thanks, twitch."

"Don't call me that," I grumbled.

Tommy laughed. "Okay, what does that mean?"

I rolled my eyes. "Two months after we got stranded on the island, I sort of developed this nervous twitch. My minds way of dealing with the craziness of it all, I suppose. First time since we got there that Oliver actually laughed. Kept on staring at that photo of Laurel the whole time. He looked up over the photo and I was sitting there flicking stones in the little pond and he burst out laughing. It was a truly odd sound. Like a strangled cat."

"Enough share time," Oliver grumbled.

"I could tell him about that time you caught your shirt on fire and had to dive into the river to stop becoming a briquette," I grinned.

"You just did," Oliver groaned.

Tommy laughed. "Okay, so at a later date, I'm taking River here out for drinks and I have to know more of these funny moments. What's your poison, River?"

I shrugged. "Whiskey. It has a pleasant burn."

Tommy grinned. "I like her."

"So you've said," Oliver shook his head.

Tommy pulled the car over and nodded towards the building. "River and I will wait. Coffee?" he asked me.

"Never had it," I replied.

"You'll like it," he grinned.

We got out of the car and whilst Tommy and I went to get some coffee, Oliver went over to the CNRI building.

"So how are you handling been back in the world?" Tommy questioned.

I shrugged. "Okay, I guess. It's weird, not being with Oliver. We've been pretty inseparable for the past five years. I've got psychologist appointments for the next six months, three times a week, my mum's having a total freak out and I actually like my step-dad."

"I saw your mum this morning, she works for my dad," Tommy told me. "I have to say, I was pretty annoyed when we still made her come into work. But that's part of being his EA I suppose."

"And a Merlyn," I grinned.

Tommy laughed his agreement and ordered us two coffees, I got lost in what he was actually ordering-something with caramel and an extra shot? Mum just drinks plan coffee. I do admit, I do like the smell.

Tommy laughed when he saw me drink the hot liquid. "Like giving candy to a baby."

"Thanks Tommy. You go see how Oliver's doing-sinking, I assume, and I'll wait by the car." I headed outside and back to the car, sipping my coffee as I went. Five minutes later, Tommy and Oliver came back and were chatting normally, completely unaware of the black van coming up behind them.

"OLIVER! TOMMY!" I shouted when men in masks burst out. I dropped the coffee and tried to decide whether to fight or run when a guy started chasing after me.

"RIVER RUN!" Oliver shouted.

I nodded and took off down the alley way.

The guy ran after me.

When I came in another alley, I flattened myself up against the wall and slammed the guy in the throat when he came around the corner. He coughed and tried to get himself up, I yanked the knife out of his belt and stabbed him in the shoulder before ripping his mask off. The guy was young, about my age, a common street thug.

I held the knife up against his throat. "Why are you chasing me and Oliver?" I snapped.

He glared at me, refusing to say anything.

I punched his stab wound and he screamed. "Why are you chasing me and Oliver? You tell me or I will slit your throat."

"I'm gonna kill you," he growled.

I rolled me eyes and stabbed him in the other shoulder. "Tell me what I want to know or I will go for an eye next. Why are you chasing me and Oliver?"

Still with the defiant glare.

I sighed and held the knife inches from his eye. "Three seconds-three…two…one…"

"Alright, alright, alright!" he cried. "Someone paid us to kidnap you and Queen. Find out what you know."

"Know about what?" I growled when I pushed down on his shoulder.

"I don't know!" he winced. "We were supposed to take you to a hanger and find out what you know. That's all I know, I swear!"

"The address," I scowled.

"My phone," he cried. "Jeans pocket. Check the texts."

I dug the phone out of his pocket and checked out the text messages. "Thanks, buddy. You've been real helpful." I got up and looked around the corner. The alley was clear. I heard a splash behind me and spun around, jamming the knife straight in the guy's heart.

He collapsed on the ground and I knelt over him. "Now what gives you the impression that I would actually be easy to take?" I asked the dead body. "You won't be the first, buddy. And you are certainly not the last. Thanks for the knife, chuckles." I cleaned the knife off on his clothes and tucked it into my jeans and put his phone in my pocket. "Jesus Oliver, back two days and already we're up shit creek."

* * *

I found the hanger easily enough and the window at the top of the building that I could climb through. I grinned, landing on the catwalk silently and crouched as I ran along, eventually finding Oliver finishing off two of the men.

I could see Tommy lying on the ground on a mattress and jumped over the edge, landing like a cat in front of Oliver. "You okay?" I asked him.

"Take care of Tommy!" he ordered before running off after another guy.

I knelt down and checked his pulse.

He was alive.

I dug Tommy's phone out of his pocket and called the police.

Welcome home, was all I could think.

**++++++ I'm thinking on the whole romance side of things, River and Roy would be good together. As much as I love Thea, not a fan of that relationship. Also, I need a name for River, Oliver has the Hood than Arrow, River needs a name as well, and a color. Oliver had green, Sara has black and Roy has red. What do you think? ++++++**


	6. Chapter 6

**Selenium55, thanks for your reviews, your first review totally gave me the courage to continue with Kongxu ++++++**

**++++++ highlander348, I love logging onto my emails and seeing people love this story enough to review. River has the ability to use a bow, she learnt from Shado just as Oliver did. She is better at close quarters combat, she strikes quickly, like a cobra. I will be using your suggestions so keep reading to see! And yes Thea is a bit of a drama queen at times, I do love her as a character but spoilt rich kid and poor bad boy has been done to death. River needs someone to see passed the damaged person she is and I think Roy has that sort of heart ++++++**

**++++++ WinterRain36, River totally deserves to be his partner. He will try and hold her back, out of fear but she can make her own choices and suffers the consequences for her actions ++++++**

**++++++ I do not own Arrow or any affiliated characters apart from my OC. All rights belong to the creators ++++++**

**Six**

"A guy in a green hood flew in and single-highhandedly took out three armed kidnappers?" the detective questioned, glaring at Oliver as he, Tommy and I sat there on the couch. I didn't understand the hatred the detective had for Oliver until I learned his name was Detective Lance, Sara's father. "I mean, who is he? Why would he do that?"

"I don't know," Oliver frowned. "Find him and you can ask him."

Behind the detective, Peter was studying me like I was about to break or something. "What about you two?" he asked Tommy and me. "You see the hood guy?"

Tommy shrugged. "I just saw movement."

"Flashes," I frowned. "Nothing too substantial."

Lance glared at Oliver. "It's funny, isn't it? One day back, and already somebody's gunning for you. Aren't you popular?"

Moira shifted where she stood with Walter. "Were you able to identify the men?"

"Scrubbed identities, untraceable weapons," Peter answered, "these guys were pros."

"Probably figured you'd pay a king's ransom to get your boy back, or a Queen's ransom," Lance grumbled.

"I don't find your tone appropriate, detective," Moira warned him. "Oliver wasn't the only one taken, Tommy and River were as well."

Lance sat back a little. "If Oliver can think of anything else, give us a call."

"Come on River, I'll take you home," Peter nodded as the two got up off the couch.

"I'd rather not," I answered.

Peter frowned. "River, you've had a lot to process-"

"So mum can blame Oliver for this?" I growled. I stood up off the seat. "No thank you. I'm a big girl, I can take care of myself. I did so for five years in the worst environment possible, I'd rather go back than listen to her rant and rave over it like I did last night. Take me to grandads."

"We'll talk about this when you get home," Peter warned me.

I grabbed my bag and glared at him. "Five years, Peter. And you're not my father. Don't pretend that you can tell me what to do. Later, Oliver."

Oliver waved at me as I headed out the door.

Peter sighed in annoyance as he followed me out to his car. "Your mother is going to flip a lid."

I yanked the door opened and slumped in the seat.

The drive home was awkward to say the least, Peter kept looking at me like I was about to go nuclear or something. If only he knew I'd killed a person today-well I'd be in Iron Heights before I could blink.

I wonder if they found the body yet, I thought.

Peter grumbled when his phone rang and answered it. "Wilson?"

Silence.

He frowned. "It's for you, Oliver."

I grinned and took the phone. "Hey, when I said I'd catch you later I didn't mean like two second down the driveway."

"_Meet me at my dad's old factory tomorrow at midday_," Oliver instructed. "_We've got work to do_."

"Sure," I nodded. "Tell Thea I said the weekend is fine, any time she wants to go."

He laughed. _"See you tomorrow, twitch_."

"What was that about?" Peter asked.

"Thea wants to take me shopping on Saturday," I lied. "Get to know me better."

Peter sighed. "Listen, River. This relationship with the Queen's...your mother and I think it's got to stop."

I raised an eyebrow. "Excuse me? You did not just say what I think you just said. You want me to stop being Oliver's friend? Pull the car over!" I snapped.

Peter kept driving.

"Pull the car over!" I yelled.

Peter sighed and pulled the car over. "I'm only doing what's best for you-"

I opened the door and got out, walking off down the road.

"River!" Peter shouted. "River! Get back in the car, please."

I turned around. "Peter-you're not my father so don't even pretend to do what's best for me. And my mother-well she was barely my mother to begin with. You have no idea what happened on that island, none. Oliver is how I deal with it. Oliver was there for me at the worst moment of my life. I lived on an island alone for five years with Oliver. You can't just say that I need to cut off contact with them and be done with it. Fuck you, Peter. I'll get home on my own."

"River!" Peter shouted.

I stuffed my hands in my pockets and headed down the road.

* * *

_I was drifting somewhere between unconsciousness and uneasy sleep when I heard the first gun shot. _

_A scream escaped my mouth when I saw a body fall off the edge of the life raft. _

_I didn't know whether it was a hallucination or an actual thing happening right now but when Robert put the gun up against his head and pulled the trigger-I knew it was real. _

_"__DAD!" Oliver screamed. _

_My body was frozen in shock, I'd never seen someone die before. Life was important and it was in that moment that I realised that a life could be over in a second. _

_And that I was no exception. _

* * *

I was gone the next morning before my mother could even begin to lecture me about yesterday's events. She didn't come home from work until late but when I got home, I faked tired from my walk. Peter wanted to talk but I was in no way interested in telling him what the problem was.

Today I was meant to meet Oliver but I also had my first psychologist appointment-no way was I sitting in a chair for an hour talking about my feelings.

Oliver and I had lied, saying that we were alone on the Island-how do you tell someone that you were tortured? Held prisoner in a cage, hunted like an animal? I'm damaged, I know that.

And I don't care.

I just don't want anyone to know.

I had scars and burns on over twenty percent of my body, ugly cuts, bullet scars, a burn on my back that covered the left side of my spine. There were tattoos as well, reminders. Oliver and I had similar Chinese symbols tattooed on us-his on his torso-mine on my left thigh.

It's different hearing about it, seeing it is another matter.

When I finally got to the Glades, I scaled the fence and found a way into the abandoned Queen Consolidated factory to find Oliver already hard at work.

"So is this gonna be our Bat-lair?" I grinned.

Oliver put the sledge hammer on the ground and used his shirt to clean his face. "I wouldn't call it a Bat-lair-seriously? You're comparing what we're about to do, to a man who dresses as a giant bat to fight crime?"

I shrugged. "Had a lot of time to research news events. Batman's very popular in Gotham right now-dude even has his own light that the police use to call him into action. Think we'll ever get a light?"

Oliver chuckled. "You're talking a mile a minute, twitch. Calm down."

I stuck my tongue out at him and pulled my jacket off. "Need any help?" I asked, looking at the hole in the ground.

"I need you to go down and tie off this rope," Oliver replied, throwing me a handful of black rope.

"Sure," I grinned before I jumped down the hole.

"Just let me tie it off!" he shouted after me. "You could have killed yourself twitch!"

"I've been thinking," I laughed when I hit the ground, "don't call me twitch. I want another name, twitch does not inspire fear, Ollie."

"Shade," Oliver answered back quickly. "Got it tied off?"

"Sure," I answered, finishing the note. "Shade? Why Shade?"

"Goes with the suit," Oliver answered.

"What suit?" I frowned.

Oliver chuckled. "Once we set this up-I'll show you."

* * *

It was late by the time the two of us had finished setting up the lair.

I was honestly impressed with the set up.

We had computers, training areas, weapons bays-what you can do when you have access to shit loads. I sighed internally as Oliver picked a crate up off the floor, dumping it on one of the many tables. I really need to find myself a job-well, after I get myself declared not dead.

"River, you lost over there?" Oliver asked, pulling me out of my thoughts.

I shook my head. "No, sorry, Ollie, just thinking I need to get myself declared not dead."

He nodded. "I'll ask my mother if she can help with that."

I laughed. "Not sure my mother would agree with you but I need to get it sorted so I can leave that house. I hate it there. My mother treats me like I'm about to combust or collapse in on myself at any moment. Your mum is cool-and I love Walter. So charming."

"So come move in with us," Oliver suggested like it was no big deal. "It would be easier to have you closer and as Thea is closer to your age, easier for you to get back into the swing of things. Tommy's helping me and you need someone too."

I raised an eyebrow. "You sure?"

Oliver nodded, he flipped open the catch on the crate and pushed the lid back. "So-what do you think?" he grinned.

I leant in to pick up a leather glove. "Shade…" I mused, staring at the dark purple, almost black material. Shade...it was perfect in its description and in memory of a lost friend. My eyes widened when I saw the weapons underneath it. I picked the blade up-even the handle of the weapon was wrapped in the same material. "So-who's the first target?"


	7. Chapter 7

**++++++ kindleflame5 - River is twenty, she will turn twenty-one in a few months. Her natural hair color and wig color are stated in the following chapter. Thanks for the review! ++++++**

**++++++ highlander348 - I love your reviews! They always give me ideas or reinforce ideas I had in the first place! I do hope you like the chapter! ++++++**

**++++++Insert standard disclaimer here ++++++**

**Seven**

Adam Hunt.

Adam Hunt.

Adam Hunt.

A ruthless businessman and the CEO of Hunt Multinational. He swindled hundreds of people out of their homes and life savings in the name of business. Tonight we were giving him the chance to return the forty million dollars he stole or face our brand of justice.

The name of the man rolled off the edge of my tongue as I stared at myself in the mirror. I knew that it was me but not me at the same time. The woman that stared back had her pale blue eyes hidden behind a domino mask and her ebony curls hidden behind a blonde wig. The domino mask had been my idea, the wig-Oliver's.

I stared at myself in the mirror, studying every aspect of my outfit in major detail. The blackish-purple leather material clung to every curve like a second skin, playing host to various pouches with throwing knives tucked away safely inside them, on the belt around my waist hung the two sais that I had taken a long time to master, the close quarters weapons were my primary weapons with the nunchucks tucked in my left boot were my secondary. The suit had long sleeves and gloves to prevent fingerprints being left behind and blood from a wound. I knew I was going to get hurt following Oliver into hell but spilling blood for him was nothing new.

How Oliver had managed to get the suit fitting so well without asking for my measurements made me laugh-not so much as watching Oliver come over to the computer with a combination of black and green paint around his eyes.

I giggled. "When you got the mask it would have been a brilliant idea to get two."

"I did," he shot back. "For you."

I rolled my eyes. "Hood's fall off, Ollie."

With all the banter going on between the two of us, it was hard to believe that we hadn't always been like this. In fact, the first six months had me nearly ready to kill him-and I would have too.

Oliver threw me over an earpiece. "That will keep us in constant contact, River. If we get separated, you don't come back here in case you're being followed. Find a secondary location, hide there and come back an hour later. They also come equipped with a voice scrambler."

I put the device on and tapped it, getting a small bit of feedback. "Works-so where is Hunt going to be tonight?"

"He's working late," Oliver answered. "All we're going to do is threaten him-demand he give back the money."

"The bodyguards?" I ask.

"Expendable."

* * *

_The two of us had been floating in that life raft for days before the island came into view. The water seemed to be carrying us towards the jagged rocks and gloomy landscape, it truly looked like a place someone would die on. _

_"__Think there's people there?" I murmured, after not speaking since Robert shot the deck hand and himself. _

_Oliver didn't seem to hear me, he was too focused on the shoreline which seemed to be so close. _

_I grumbled under my breath, too tired to deal with this anymore so I slid over the side, the freezing water waking me up and giving me that second burst I desperately needed. _

_"__RIVER!" Oliver shouted. _

_I breached the surface and shook the water out of my hair. "Fuck its freezing."_

_"__There could be sharks in the water!" Oliver snapped. He offered me his hand and glared at me-the first of many I assume. _

_I rolled my eyes and with his help, I was yanked back into the life raft, the lack of food and water was playing its toll on the both of us but we were so close to land…I needed to reach it…we needed to reach it. I glanced over at the body of Robert Queen that Oliver had wrapped up in a tarp-it stunk to high hell but Oliver wouldn't listen to me. _

_When the raft finally reached the shoreline, the two of us jumped into the water to pull it ashore, it was the most I'd seen Oliver move since _The Queen's Gambit_ went down. "First things first-we need water," I mumbled to myself. I was tired, so freaking tired but we needed water. _

_"__Then go get some," Oliver snapped. _

_I shot him a look and grabbed the two empty canteens out of the raft. "Be a man and go sob over your dead father," I sneered. "At least you get to bury him." I stormed off towards the trees, not caring where I was going. _

_If my watch had been working-it was clear to me that several hours later, I hadn't found the water and it was almost dark. _

_"__SON OF A BITCH!" I screamed, throwing one of the canteens off into the trees. _

_It only made me angrier when I realized I had to go and get it. _

_I slapped a branch out of my way and walked through the trees. "At least the headline will be _'Starling City Teenager Dies in Tragic Boating Accident_' and not _'Starling City Teenager Eaten by Wolves'_," I scowled. _

_A crack behind me alerted me to the fact that I wasn't alone. _

_"__Is there anyone out there?" I frowned. "Hello?"_

_Silence. _

_"__Whoever you are," I growled, "I am armed and really dangerous!" I held up the canteen and waited for someone or something to come running out at me. _

_I could have sworn that years passed before I relaxed enough to keep moving. _

_I sighed and tried to get my bearings, when I turned around I smacked into something solid and screamed when I hit the ground. _

_Just in the fading daylight I could make out what I had slammed into-well-whom. He was decked out like a soldier, all clad in black with backup behind him-all wearing balaclavas. The only difference between him and the rest of them was that this guy was wearing a black and orange mask, split right down the middle. _

_I laughed. _

_I'm putting it down to lack of food and water. "Who the hell are you supposed to be? Halloween isn't for another couple months."_

_He reached backwards and drew a sword out held it dangerously close to my throat. _

_I gulped. "Ah…that looks kinda sharp there, buddy. Mind putting that away?" _

_He took a step closer to me and paused before turning his weapon around. _

_The last thing I saw was the butt of a sword hitting me in the face than nothing…_

* * *

The first bodyguard falls with one of my knives to his throat

I watch in fascination as he yanks to knife out and throws it on the ground before realizing that someone had hit a major artery.

An arrow whizzes by my face and plants itself into the second bodyguard before I take care of the third. I pealed myself out of the darkness and kicked the man's legs out from underneath him, knocking him to the ground. Training taught me to crouch before delivering a swift slice across the throat, severing his jugular.

It's always fascinated me to watch the life go out of someone's eyes, those last few seconds of hope that they cling to.

I got to my feet and kicked the knees out of a guard behind me, twirling around him with a knife held up against his throat. "_Move and you're dead,_" I hissed. As Oliver walked by me, Adam Hunt stared at the two of us. Fear written all over his face at his attacker approached him, confusion coupled that fear when he looked at me. I was small and not to be underestimated.

"Just tell me what you want?" the man in the expensive suit demanded to know, fear mixed in with false bravado.

"_You're gonna transfer $40 million into Starling City Bank account 1141 by ten pm tomorrow night_" Oliver ordered, his voice distorted by the scrambler.

"Or what?" Hunt snapped.

"_Or we're gonna take it_," I smirked, "_and you won't like how._" Oliver disappeared into the darkness and I snapped the guard's neck. "_$40 million, Hunt. 1141. Remember that._"

I pushed the body to the ground and fled the building before Hunt could call the police.

* * *

_When I woke up, I was lying on the ground in a tent with my hands bound behind me. I wanted to scream and hit something-surely this was all a dream and I'd wake up soon? I'd be in my own bed and about to go to school to see Chloe and Leah. _

_The tent flap opened and the same masked man came in followed by a smaller man with blonde hair and blue eyes. "Who the fuck are you?" I growled, struggling to at least sit up. _

_"__I was going to ask you the same question in a less crude manner," he replied, his accent was British. "For now, you can call me Fyers. I must apologies over your treatment." He came over and used a knife to cut the ties on my hands. "You must be hungry, miss…?"_

_"__Quinn," I answered, rubbing my wrists. "River Quinn. Where am I?" I asked. _

_"__My camp," he replied, giving me the feeling that he wasn't going to tell me anything else. "How did you find this island, Miss Quinn?"_

_"__Ship sank," I answered "I don't think anyone else made it," I lied. I glanced up at the guy wearing the mask. "Why's he wearing a mask?" I ask. _

_"__You must be hungry," Fyers smiled. "We have a mess tent set up, but before you eat, I must ask you…have you seen this man?" he questioned, holding a photo of a well-dressed Chinese military man in front of me. _

_I raised an eyebrow. "You're kidding, right?" I laughed. "I've gotten off a sinking ship, floated for god knows how many days on the ocean, finally found land and your friend over there hit me in the face with a fucking sword and you want to know where Jackie Chan is? I have no idea who the hell this guy is!"_

_I could have sworn a smile appeared at the edge of Fyers mouth. _

_"__Food will be provided for you and a change of clothes," he told me. _

_"__Can I go home?" I asked him, seeing light at the end of the tunnel. _

_He chuckled. "We have a job here to do, Miss Quinn. Not until it's done. Even then I will have to decide if it's worth the trouble."_

_I wanted to punch him in his smug British face. _

_He held the tent flap open. "Make no mistake, Miss Quinn. You are a prisoner here until further notice. Do not wonder or my men will shot you."_

_I glared at the masked man as I walked passed him. "Do he have a name? Or do I make one up?"_

_A little voice in the back of my head was telling me I should have stayed on the beach with Oliver at the same time it asked me why did I lie? _

**++++++ Don't shoot me but I decided to give River a different start on the island. Oliver had Yao-Fei before eventually getting Slade as a teacher and I didn't want the same for River. She still gets to the same place, just takes a different road ++++++**


	8. Chapter 8

**++++++I do apologies if this seems like a filler chapter but it really is but needed to be done. Didn't want to just jump into the party than the second confrontation with Hunt. Wanted to space it out a bit.**

** kinddleflame5 - thank you regarding your review. I wasn't sure how to handle the flash backs but that's good advice that I will be using. Heaps appreciated!**

** highlander348 - damn I love your reviews! I have a separate document on my computer were I have any ideas from readers or my own ideas for later. This on I will be using for later!**

** WinterRain36 - I will be introducing Felicity very soon actually and yes, River and Felicity will be very good friends.**

**Standard disclaimer ++++++**

**Eight**

I had been hoping for a late morning in my new insanely comfortable bed but fate, it seems, had other plans.

Both Oliver and I had come home late from our night time outing to find Thea just as she was heading out to party with her friends. The party girl seemed over the moon when Oliver told her that I was going to be staying with them until I could get back on my feet.

She asked me if I wanted to go out clubbing with them but I declined, I had no ID yet and wasn't ready to go out clubbing. Thea reminded me about our shopping trip the following day than left giggling with her friends.

That same perky attitude is what I woke up to the next morning and had to listen to whilst I was having a shower.

Oliver was right, I was in no way ready for Thea Queen.

"So we have to get you something fantastic to wear tonight for the welcome home bash Tommy's throwing," Thea grinned, bouncing down the stairs. "With your skin color, you'd look perfect in anything that's dark."

I rolled my eyes. I'd already tried arguing with Thea regarding the party but she was forcing me to attend. I had planned to wait on Hunt and see if he came through but I couldn't exactly tell Thea that now could I? "So what exactly is in fashion these days? I'm more of a jeans and shirts kind of girl-"

"Oliver also said we needed to get you a cell phone," Thea cut me off. "And maybe a couple of extensions-"

"Thea, honey," Moira called out from the living room. "Is River with you?"

"Sure mum," Thea answered.

"Can you both come in here, please?" Walter asked.

Thea shrugged and the two of us went into the living room where Peter and my mum were waiting there for me.

"So an intervention, right?" I frowned.

Thea smirked.

"River you disappeared yesterday, where the hell did you go?" my mother asked me.

"Out" I answered. "I wanted to see the city without someone breathing down my neck and telling me who to be friends with." I glared at Peter. "Oliver said I could stay the night when he found me walking passed a café."

"Well now that you've got that out of your system, you can come home," Peter insisted.

Moira cleared her throat. "Well, Detective Wilson, the four of us have decided that whilst Oliver and River are recovering, she'd be better off staying here. We can protect her better from anyone who tries to take her again. River agreed."

My mother's jaw dropped. "River-honey-"

I shook my head. "No, mum. I regret that the last thing I said to you before we got on that boat was that I hated you but now that I'm back you can't take over my life anymore."

"You were dead, River!" she snapped. "Dead! For five years you were dead and I mourned you-"

"Well than it will be like I'm still dead," I growled. "I'm twenty years old. I'm not a little girl anymore. You can't tell me what I can and can't do, you can't demand that I fall in line with what you want. You have to take into consideration what I want and right now what I want is to be here with Oliver. Mum-I love you but you'll do what you did when I was alive. You bury yourself in your work at Merlyn Global Group-I bet that Frankie has a nanny? Doesn't he? The girls are so cluttered with activities that they're busy and don't even notice you're missing. I'm sorry mum but that is not a place I want to heal in. It's a house-Oliver is my home. I'm not ready to be ripped away from that yet."

She went to open her mouth but Peter put his hand on her shoulder. "River has a point, Elle. Maybe once she's on her feet and has a place of her own, she'll come visit."

I reached forward and squeezed her hand. "Mum-I can do this. I was trapped on an island for five years, I learnt to hunt wild boar and spear fish with a freaking stick, evade wolves for fuck's sake. I can do this and so can you."

Suddenly Peter's cell rang.

"Excuse me," he smiled, answering the call.

She sighed. "Okay…I just wanted everything to be the same, River."

"Same would be dad and Mr Queen didn't die in a boating accident," I whispered. "And I'd be in collage with Chloe and Leah studying something lame like art history or philosophy."

Peter cleared his throat when he came back into the room. "Elle, honey. I've gotta go. That Vigilante that saved the three kids from the kidnappers, he struck again. And he has a partner."

I laughed. "That looser has a partner?"

Thea grabbed my hand. "Come on, we don't have time to waste, River. We're burning shopping hours."

I rolled my eyes.

Dear god I wish I was still on that island.

* * *

By the end of the day I was exhausted.

If shopping was an Olympic sport, Thea Queen would have a gold medal in the event. We went to every shop imaginable including Victoria Secret-why I had no idea. Her friends were just as relentless as Thea was when it came to shopping.

It was four in the afternoon when we came back to the Queen mansion, I wanted to have a nap but Thea insisted on unpacking everything and then trying on the seven different types of party dresses she'd bought for me whilst the three of them set my cell phone up with their numbers.

They'd officially lost me when they mentioned something called Facebook.

"Purple looks great on you," Margo smiled as I tried to pull the short dark purple dress further down my thighs. It only just covered my tattoo. The only way I could describe Margo was blonde and complete trouble, like Chloe was.

"Insanely good," Niva nodded. The Indian girl got up and picked a box of high heels off the ground. "You can walk in these, right?"

I shrugged. "That or I can use them as a weapon," I answered back as I took the high heels out of the box.

"Just put them on," Margo ordered.

I leant against the wall and put the heels on as ordered than sighed. "Okay…this goes against my better judgement but how do I look?"

"Wow," Oliver blurted out as he stood there in the doorway holding some papers in his hands.

I laughed. "Really? Wow?" I felt like a freaking ugly duckling, all elbows and knees.

"So, Ollie, hair up or down?" Thea asked, taking advantage of her brother's moment.

"Down," Oliver answered. "Suits you better." He coughed. "Mum called and told me her lawyers have made some time for us tomorrow to sign some documents."

"Awesome," I nodded. "Shouldn't you be getting ready for your party?" I asked him.

Annoyance flashed his face quickly but vanished, leaving the playboy grin behind. "Our party, River. This is for you just as much as it is for me. I've seen the guest list, a lot of your friends will be there."

"Thanks," I mumbled.

"Okay…jewellery," Niva grinned.


	9. Chapter 9

**++++++ Because I love you all so much, tonight, you get two! ++++++**

**++++++ Standard disclaimer ++++++**

**Nine**

_I'd been stuck on this godforsaken island and in this godforsaken camp for about a month now and I'd just about had enough. Fyers had let me wonder the camp but there was a guard with me at all times and I wasn't allowed anywhere past the perimeter of the camp. _

_I suppose he knew that a sixteen-year-old string bean couldn't do any damage what so ever. He knew that he was the only way I was going to survive because out there-I'd be dead. Oliver was dead, he had to be. Two guards had reported that they'd seen tracks from a second person on the south beach but I told Fyers it was only me-he was under the impression that someone else must have survived and made their way to the island like I had. _

_I don't think that freak in the two-tone mask held the same beliefs as Fyers did. He was always watching me, like I was going to try and re-enact the great escape or something. _

_"__So what do you do for fun around here?" I grumbled, asking Fyers over some bad camp food one night. _

_He raised an eyebrow. "Fun? Miss Quinn, what gives you the impression that we do anything 'fun' around here?"_

_"__I'm sixteen," I answered back. "Sixteen and bored. Really bored."_

_Fyers sat his fork down on the tray. "Miss Quinn-you are a prisoner here, count yourself lucky that I don't lock you in the cages-you've seen them, haven't you?"_

_I nodded. "Yeah, I get you're point but that still doesn't answer my question."_

_Fyers glared at me. "Miss Quinn, you're no threat to this operation, just an annoyance. Perhaps I should just shoot you and save myself the trouble."_

_"__Then why don't you?" I snapped._

_Fyers drew his sidearm and held it up against the temple of my head. He had it there for what seemed like forever, taking his time to decide if he would kill me. _

_I gulped but didn't blink. _

_"__I cannot decide if it's sheer stupidity or bravery that you're exhibiting," he told me, putting the gun away, "but I do enjoy these moments we have. I've always wanted children but found them to be messy, pointless things. A teenager can go through pain-emotional and physical to become an adult. How much physical pain can you handle, Miss Quinn?" Fyers asked, waving someone over. _

_I glared at two-tone and Fyers whispered something to him. _

_Fyers smirked. "I've just had an idea, Miss Quinn. You've got one month to be able to land a hit in with my friend here. He will teach you but at the end of that month, you have to be able to land a hit or I will kill you."_

_I gulped. "You're joking…right?"_

_Fyers smirked. "No, Miss Quinn. I am not. The very idea amuses me." He pushed his chair back and stood up. "I'd say good luck but judging by the size of you, it would be easier to kill you."_

_"__Do I get an option B?" I asked before my head could stop my mouth. _

_He grabbed a chunk of my hair and ripped me out of my seat before dragging me outside into the freezing rain and throwing me to the ground. I cried out when I hit the mud. _

_Guess not…_

* * *

My focus was on the heels I was wearing.

One step, two steps, one step, two steps. Come on River, don't kill yourself now, I grumbled as I followed Oliver down the steps towards the music-the very loud music.

Oliver pushed open the doors very enthusiastically and continued into the party.

"EVERYBODY! HEY! HEY!" Tommy shouted over the music, getting the DJ to turn the music down. "MAN AND WOMAN OF THE HOUR!" he chanted, raising his glass. "WHOO! LADIES, GENTLEMEN! GIVE THESE TWO POOR, STARVED LUNATICS A PROPER HOMECOMING!"

A waitress approached the two of us with two shot glasses.

Oliver took one and handed it to me whilst he took the other. "I MISSED TEQUILA!" he shouted before drinking it.

I shrugged and followed suit, gasping at the burn that followed.

Oliver laughed and hit me on the back. "Let's enjoy the party, twitch."

I checked the time on my watch, it was only nine. With a sigh I went and sat down at the bar, ordering a whisky.

"How come you get to drink and we don't?" Chloe pouted behind me.

I raised an eyebrow as the bartender gave me my drink. "Really? Did you miss the memo? Stuck on an island for five years, I certainly wasn't drinking out of coconuts, Chloe."

Leah giggled and sat down beside me. "You're alone her, drinking at the bar, and not even paying attention to all these cute guys?" she frowned. "Oh no, girl. We're getting you laid tonight. No sex in one thousand, eight hundred and thirty-nine days…unless you and Queen played Tarzan and Jane?"

I spat my drink out. "Leah! Oh my god! No! Never say that! Ew!"

Chloe burst out laughing. "Told you she was still a virgin."

I buried my face in my hands. "Oh my god! Guys! Seriously! Jesus!" I flagged the bar tender down and gulped down a second shot.

Leah grinned. "So, spill. I want every dirty little detail you didn't tell us the other night."

For the next hour I sat there trying to avoid the girl's questions and every guy that came over to buy me a drink.

I looked at the time on my watch and smiled. "Excuse me, I need to use the girl's room."

Before Chloe and Leah could protest, I left the bar, heading to the side exit.

Oliver was waiting for me outside and opened the trunk. "You ready?"

"I was born ready, Ollie," I answered with a grin.

The two of us got changed into our suits in silence. Hunt hadn't transferred the money like he was asked, so now it was up to us.

I finished up by tying my hair back and putting my mask on. The Shade looked back at me as I glanced at my reflection in a filthy surface. "_Game plan?_" I asked him when I turned my ear piece on.

"_I'll take the elevator, you take the stairs,_" Oliver answered. He pulled the hood over his head and the two of us left the alley.

* * *

I gripped the nunchuck tightly in my hands as I lean up against the wall in the stairwell.

It's not out of nerves, not…not nerves…more excitement.

I feel like I was made for this, for the fight.

I can't think of anything less.

When I hear the first sound of gunfire, I slam open the door, taking the loan men off guard. I slam him in the chin with the end of the metal weapon before hitting him across the face and sending him to his knees. Swiftly I wrap the chain around his neck-the thing that holds the two metal ends together-and snapped his neck.

Gun fire rang out around me, I ducked behind the body, using it for a shield before swinging the nunchuck like a bola and throwing it at him. He cried out and the gunfire started hitting the roof as he fell, giving me time to rush him. I stabbed him twice with a small blade and grabbed the weapon and dove to the next guy.

Arrows were whizzing around me, expertly fired by a man who knew where his targets were.

I continued taking out the guards, letting Oliver take out the man who appeared to be Hunt's head of security. "_The police will be here in seconds_," I warned Oliver as the two of us approached Hunt. He looked smugly terrified. If one could be smugly terrified.

No sooner than the words had left my mouth did the lift open once more, SWAT poured into the room. "LAY DOWN YOUR WEAPONS OR WE WILL OPEN FIRE! I REPEAT, LAY DOWN YOUR WEAPONS!"

"_Split!_" Oliver ordered.

I ran straight through the glass walls separating the office from the hallway. The elevator door was closing as I rolled along the ground, making it passed the door and gun fire with inches to spare. I hoped to god that Oliver had done what needed to be done and this wasn't all in vain. I reached up and pushed the hatch at the top of the elevator before hosting myself up and onto the roof of the elevator.

I kicked the door open and jumped over to the side of wall to the ladder and started climbing down.

I could be back at the party in a couple minutes with no one any wiser.

When I reached the bottom, I found myself in some kind of service corridor than led out into an alleyway just off the streets where Oliver and I had gotten ready.

By the time I got back to the party, the police were there, including Detective Lance and Peter.

I fixed a strand of my hair and joined Chloe and Leah. "What's going on?" I asked.

Chloe shrugged. "Dunno, something to do with those freak Vigilantes-where were you?"

"Needed some air," I lied.

I made eye contact with Oliver and he nodded.

With a grin, I knew that the first name had been crossed off the list tonight.

Adam Hunt was officially off the list.


	10. Chapter 10

**++++++ highlander348 - that's the plan. River will go solo soon! Very soon. And I hate high heels as well. More of a Converse girl myself.**

** WinterRain36 - yeah Rive does test Fyers patience a lot. I'll see what I can do. **

** kindleflame5 - if you and all my fans are open to lemons, I will be glad to knock something up. Those two volatile personalities are perfect for each other **

**Insert standard disclaimer here ++++++**

**Ten**

With one two second signature on my part and the witnessing signatures of Moira Queen and Walter Steele, I was now alive again.

No one ever mentioned how tedious it was to become alive again after all these years of being presumed dead. A representative of my father's was there from Ingleburn and Sons Law Firm to read my father's will now that he had been officially declared dead. Sixty percent of his estate had been left to me with the remaining forty percent to be divided by Molly and Angela and put in a trust account until they reached the age of twenty-one. Due to my recent circumstances and current situation, Charlie Allan had arranged for the money to be made available to me now. Mr Allan had included a photo ID, cards for my bank account and several less then subtle investment opportunities.

I was thinking about getting a motor bike. I knew how to drive, having been taught by a complete psychopath I was a little crazy on the road but I still knew how.

It had been one hell of a night last night both at the party and dealing with Adam Hunt and the fun just kept on coming.

After the lawyers left, Moira and Walter wanted to take Oliver to Queen Consolidated so he could get to know the company better. Oliver's driver, Diggle, offered to drop me off at the bank to sort out my newly acquired funds which was nice of him. I liked Diggle, he had principles but was completely dumbfounded as to Oliver's character and slightly confused by me.

When I got to the Starling City bank, the manager was more than nice to me, must have had something to do with Walter showing me in and introducing me to the man who looked after his funds. They set up some nice accounts for me, including an everyday account and an interest account.

After spending a couple hours in the bank and with the lawyers, I decided to head out for lunch.

There was a nice little café about a block away where I got a coffee and a salad for lunch, taking the opportunity to sit outside.

"Do you mind if I take a seat?" someone asked me as I was about to dig into my lunch. I glanced up at the blonde woman standing near the table, her own lunch in hand. "There's like nowhere to sit and I don't want to have to walk back to work and eat at my desk."

I shrugged. "Take a seat, two's better company."

She grinned and adjusted her glasses before sitting down in the shade. "Thanks. I don't mean to intrude, you looked like you were in your own little world."

I laughed. Says the girl wearing a sweater with a cat on it and the outrageously bright colours. "I've had a lot of time to think. I'm River Quinn."

"I know," she answered. "I've seen you on the news with Oliver Queen. You're kinda famous, been stuck on an island for five years-well when I say kinda I obviously mean extremely famous-I'm babbling," she cut herself off. "Sorry. I'm Felicity, Felicity Smoak. IT support at Queen Consolidated."

"Nice to meet you Felicity Smoak, IT support at Queen Consolidated," I smiled, reaching over to shake her hand. "River Quinn, castaway."

The two of us sat there and talked for what seemed like forever. We spoke about pretty much everything, Felicity didn't even touch on my time on the island, just the occasional joke here and there but she never asked me the question so many people wanted to know. I was happy when we made plans to go to the movies the following weekend, she wanted to catch me up on the greatest films I had missed during my time on the island.

Midway through telling me what computer would be the best for me to get, Felicity glanced at her watch and gasped when she saw the time. "Holy crap! I'm so fired!" she gasped. "I'm late! I was only supposed to have an hour and we've been sitting here for ninety minutes!" She pushed her chair back and grabbed her purse. "I'll talk to you later!" she blurted out before running off down the street.

I chuckled and shook my head. "Later Felicity." Just as Felicity had left me, my phone vibrated. It was a text from Oliver, telling me to meet him at the lair. We were going to look into the next name on the List.

I waved a taxi down and the driver reluctantly took me to the Glades.

"So I'm thinking we should get like a tunnel and everything," I grinned, distracting Oliver from the computers he was working on. "And commission a Hood symbol that the police can use to summon you for help." I slumped down on the chair, propping my feet up on the table and grabbing one of the small bolts to play with.

Oliver threw me a dirty look with the slightest hint of a smirk. "Our next target is Martin Somers. He's a businessman and the CEO of Starling Port. I think he has connections to the Chinese Triad."

"So how did you come across this?" I asked him.

"He's been prosecuted by Laurel for murder," Oliver replied.

"Ah," I frowned, "Laurel, 'I wish you were dead' Lance?"

Oliver sighed. "Yes, that Laurel."

I grinned. "I'm just saying, Ollie, I'd be pissed at you too if you slept with my sister…and you know…got her killed."

"Do you mind?" Oliver asked me. "Can we focus on Martin Somers?"

"Sure," I grinned, rolling my eyes. "If you look in Webster's the word denial-"

"River-enough," Oliver warned. "How did Fyers not kill you?"

I shrugged. "I had a psychopathic babysitter…so Martin Somers? Is the Hood going to pay him a visit or will both of us be going to pay him a visit?"

Oliver raised an eyebrow. "If I didn't know any better, twitch, I'd say you're jealous that the police are after me, not you."

"It's always the pretty ones that get chased last," River sneered as she threw the dart at the wall behind Oliver.

He glared at her when it missed him, just millimetres from his ear. "That's sharp, twitch."

I raised an eyebrow as if to say 'well duh'. "So, we pay him a visit first and if he doesn't comply then you put an arrow in him?"

"That's the plan," Oliver nodded.

"Adam Hunt, Marcus Redman, Martin Somers, the Vigilant had been a busy boy," I noted.

"There are a lot of names on the List," Oliver replied.

"We should divide and conquer then," I suggested.

Oliver shook his head. "No."

"I can handle it, Oliver," I shot at him. "In case you forgot, I was kicking ass and taking names before Slade even picked your sorry ass up.

"I'm not arguing with you about this," Oliver snapped with that it's final tone.

"Less trouble with Wintergreen," I mumbled under my breath. "So we going tonight? I imagine the two of us can't run around in broad daylight, as amazing as I look in purple in daylight."

"Your talent at stating the obvious is almost as good as your ability to fight," Oliver teased. "Do you mind getting your feet off the table?"

"So how did you lose, Diggle?" I asked, pulling my feet down. "And where can I get one of my own? He is just adorable."

"You don' want one, trust me," Oliver warned. "He's hard to shake."

I raised an eyebrow and laughed. "So, we've time to kill…wanna spare?" I grinned.

**++++++ I hope you enjoyed River and Felicity's first meeting and I hope I stayed true to Felicity's character ++++++**


	11. Chapter 11

**++++++ mjf2468 - thank you! I wanted to go with something different. I mean, we all know how Oliver started off and I didn't want to copy it. Make it different-I mean they're friends no but it's better seeing them start off as enemies. **

** kindleflame5 & WinterRain36 - Lemon's it is! **

** highlander348 - he is controlling but I suppose with a purpose. Still doesn't stop it from being annoying though. She'll have her solo-already have that planned **

**I hope you all like this chapter, it was fun to write. **

**I do not own Arrow or any affiliated characters apart from my OC. All rights belong to the shows/comics creators ++++++**

**Eleven**

_I didn't think I had made any progress in the last four weeks._

_The only improvement that had been made was the fact that I sported an ever growing series of cuts and bruises that were painted across my pale skin. The mercenaries working for Fyers often found it hilarious and liked to watch Him play punching bag with River. _

_All I could think of was that I was going to die. _

_And I didn't want to die. _

_Against all odds I'd survived a sinking boat, running out of food and the teachings of an insane lunatic who had no name and now I was going to die simply because I was unable to land a hit on a man who had years of training and killing on me._

_As I sat there staring at the hard piece of toast and out of date eggs someone grunted behind me, hoping to get my attention. When I turned around, I saw Him standing there, his hazel eyes boring right into me. "My death isn't for another six hours, thank you," I growled, turning back to stare at my breakfast. _

_He grabbed my arm and pulled me up from the table and proceeded to drag me outside. He dumped me on the ground and toward over me. _

_"__Alright! Alright!" I screamed. "Alright! I get it! Let go of me you fucking asshole! You wanna play let's kill River! Just fucking do it then!" _

_I heard Fyers laughing at me. _

_"__Miss Quinn, your progress this past month has been entertaining to say the least," he smirked. "I'm interested to see what you've actually learned." He nodded at my psychopathic teacher. _

_He drew his swords and instead of striking me down then and there, He handed me one. _

_I grunted at the weight of the blade and pulled myself up off the muddy ground. Before I even had a chance to raise the weapon, He struck down, hard. _

_The muscles in my arm weren't strong enough to keep a grip on the sword and I almost dropped it under the weight. I cried out when I felt the tip of His blade sink into my shoulder and pulled back-well-more stumbled. _

_He struck again, completely ignoring the crowd of men who had gathered to witness my execution. I barely managed to duck the strike only to earn a backhand to the face right before he kicked me to the ground. _

_My body rolled and I forced myself up before he could kick me again. He swung the sword out, slicing my shirt and into a little bit of my stomach. At least I'd learnt how to dodge until I tire out and die-that's a plus. _

_He managed to kick me again, sending me sprawling to the ground before knocking the weapon from my hand. _

_Fyers sighed. "Such a pity, Miss Quinn. You had much potential. Kill her," he ordered. _

_Two mercenaries pulled me two my knees as He went to get his sword from the ground. _

_A feral growl escaped me and I grabbed the knife off the belt of one of the mercenaries before I threw it straight at Him. He ducked to the side but the blade managed to bury itself in the chest of one of the mercenaries who had gathered to watch me die. _

_I gasped and covered my mouth with my hands. _

_Fyers stared at me for what seemed like an age before he started laughing. "Bravo Miss Quinn," he grinned. "Bravo. You just proved my point-even the most innocent people can be made to kill. I think I'm going to enjoy having you around a while longer." He nodded to the mercenaries to tell them to take the body away, leaving me standing there trying not to throw up. "Mr Wintergreen-she's all yours. I imagine it will take you no time at all to mould her into something presentable. No need to be gentle."_

_I stared at the body as the mercenaries took it away, seeing someone get killed is different than killing them yourself. _

_I gasped and ran over behind some crates to throw up the bile in my stomach. _

_When I pulled back to wipe my mouth, something was thrown on the ground beside me. _

_I glanced up to see Him-no-Wintergreen standing there watching me like he usually did. On the ground was something wrapped up in leather, when I picked it up to unroll it, I found that it was a bunch of knives. _

_Sharp knives. _

_He started walking away from me giving me no choice by to follow him _

_No one seemed to care that I killed someone…I don't think I'm ever going to forget it. _

* * *

Usually the sound of dripping water echoed throughout the foundry, the occasion rat or trapped pigeon but tonight, the sound of clanging metal echoed in the darkness.

I could feel the heat of the lamps above me and the sweat beads rolling down my back. I gripped my hands tightly around the metal poles I was holding and struck against the identical practice weapons Oliver was holding.

The only sounds that could be heard were the connecting weapons and the sounds coming from us. Sparing with Oliver like this reminded me off all those times sparing with Wintergreen and Slade. Both men had taught me a lot when it came to fighting-my sharp edge I got from Wintergreen, my fierce determination I got from Slade. The stubbornness was my own.

Oliver hooked his practice weapon underneath my arm, hitting upwards to try and make me lose my grip. I twirled my weapon around, hitting him up the left side of his head.

He glared at me and struck again, this time elbowing me in the chest and sending me stumbling back across the mat.

I threw the practice weapon at him, chasing after it and ducking into a roll right underneath his legs before coming up behind him. I delivered a swift kick to the back of the knee, sending him down before tossing the poles down to trap him in a choke hold.

Oliver reached backwards to try and grab me. Unable to get a good grip on my head or shoulders, he tried again, this time going for my leg.

I laughed and wrap him legs around him only to have him fall backwards with a thump onto the wet floor. I spat out a string of swear words as the two of us managed to come apart.

Oliver coughed as he got up, rubbing his throat.

I grinned and crash tackled him.

"Why can't I go out on my own?" I snapped. "Why can't I take Somers on my own?"

It wasn't so much a sparring session anymore-more like a brawl.

"Because I said no," Oliver growled, rolling so I was pinned underneath him.

"Asshole!" I snapped, kneeing him straight in the groin, it was easier to turn the tables on him that way. I was fast, but he used his strength.

Oliver glared at me, pain written across his face as the two of us got to our feet.

We circled each other for a few seconds, before I lunged towards him and threw a fake punch to the left. Oliver moved to block it, leaving his stomach exposed and I punched to the right. Oliver gritted hist teeth and punch straight at my face. I ducked but he landed a punch to my gut. I gasped and stumbled backwards. The pain rippled through my body but it was easy to ignore.

Oliver reached for my arm and twisted it behind my back.

I growled and snapped my head backward, connecting with his face.

"Damn it, River!" Oliver groaned. "You're not ready to go out on your own!"

"Fuck you!" I snapped.

Oliver swung his fist out, when I dodged it he swung his leg out and knocked me to the ground. "You're letting you anger get the better of you."

"Because I'm not a child!" I snapped.

I grabbed his leg and pulled, sending him to the ground with a thud. I attempted to climb onto him and punch him in the face but he grabbed my fist with his hand and stopped the action dead in it's tracks. I pulled back my other hand and landed a hard punch to the jaw right before he flipped me over, using all his weight to pin my legs and arms to the ground so I couldn't knee him or punch him.

Oliver stared at me with a scowl on his face "Feel better now? Or are you going to complain some more?"

I growled and struggled to move but he was heavier than I was. "Get off me!" I snapped when our phones started ringing.

We sprung apart and went to answer them.

Before I went to answer Peter, I grabbed one of his target practice tennis ball and pegged it at Oliver, hitting him in the back of the head.

He glared at me and answered his call, leaving me to answer mine.


	12. Chapter 12

**++++++ I do not own Arrow or any affiliated characters apart from my OC. All rights belong to the creators ++++++**

**Twelve **

I'm angry at Oliver and he knows why. He refuses to listen to reason when I tell him I can venture out on my own. We're equal in every way but sometimes I still think he sees me as a child. I spent the last couple days practicing in the lair underneath the old foundry, destroying two practice dummies in the process. After my outburst the other day, Oliver decided that it would be easier for him to take Somers on his own whilst I was stuck with Lance duty.

Laurel Lance was prosecuting Martin Somers and so the man in question used his ties to the Triad to get them to kill Laurel. I had considered tossing up saving her or leaving her to die but sometimes you have to have a conscious, even if it means saving the life of someone you've already decided to hate.

Whilst Oliver was dealing with Somers, I had my movie date with Felicity. The IT girl was easily my favourite person to hang out with. So bright and bubbly, made me feel like she had some form of ADHD the way she carried on sometimes. She was a breath of fresh air compared to Thea or her friends or even my family and Oliver. After the movies we went to a twenty-four hour café near the Glades and she gave me the rundown important that had happened during the five years I was away.

We made plans for lunch during the week.

The night I was to be having dinner with my family, Oliver was going after billionaire James Holder. He knew I was still made at him. Made dinners with his family really awkward. When I came back to the lair, I was getting ready to suit up when Oliver came in with a scowl on his face.

I raised an eyebrow. "Another successful night as the solo vigilante?" I growled at him.

"Not in the mood, River," Oliver snapped back, pulling his hood down. "Someone killed James Holder."

"Considering you were there to kill him you should be happy that the job is done," I reminded him. "Shouldn't be a shock that a man as corrupt as Holder has more than one enemy." I leant back against the table, partially dressed in my Shade outfit. "Or is this one vigilante per city?"

He glared at me. "I know you want to go out on your own River-"

"But what?" I snapped. "In case you forgot, I've got six months of training on you and I'm faster. Why can't I go out on my own? Why can't I take one of the names myself? You can't lock me in the Hood-Cave forever, Ollie. You gotta trust me." I pushed off the table and cross the room, "sit down, you're bleeding. Whoever killed Holder must have grazed you."

Oliver put his bow down. "River, I do trust you. I know you can handle this on your own."

"This is the part where I ask you to take your shirt off," I smirked.

Oliver rolled his eyes. "Be serious, for just a second. Please?"

I sighed as I grabbed the first aid kit. "Shoot…oh wait…someone already did that."

"River!" he snapped.

I held my hands up in surrender. "Okay, okay. I'll be serious. What's your reason behind babying me?"

"You just said it yourself," he answered me back.

I raised an eyebrow. "You're babying me? You want to protect me? Like you think I'm Thea or something?"

He grimaced as he pealed his suit off. "I wanted a little more time in the field with you before sending you out on your own."

I sighed. "Here's the thing, Ollie. After my first kill-Fyers had me. I mean yeah it was an accident but Fyers still had me. Two weeks after that-he let me leave the camp and go to the other side of the island without him or Wintergreen. Another two weeks after that and I was allowed on patrols."

"What's your point, River?" Oliver asked me.

"I was getting to it," I grumbled. "We've had five years to perfect our little act, Ollie. Five years. I know you, inside and out. You know me better than anyone ever could. My dad worked for your dad. I'm working for you. If you're worried something will happen to me or if you want to wrap me in bubble wrap and sit me in the corner you shouldn't have said yes to me helping you." I cleared the blood away from the bullet wound-luckily it was just a flesh wound. "If Fyers was willing to let me go on patrols and have weapons than you should be willing to let me out on my own otherwise this won't work. My dad failed this city too, Oliver. When I said to you that I was in this, it was one hundred percent of the way. You're not getting rid of me that easily. I swore in blood, Oliver," I reminded him, showing him the scar on my right hand that matched the scar on his left hand. "Remember?"

Oliver stood up and picked up that little book that held the List inside. He sighed and turned back to me, "Jason Broduer-he's yours if you want him."

I squealed and ran over to hug him. "Thank you, Oliver!"

Oliver sat the book back down and stumbled a little bit.

I frowned at him. "Ollie…"

"The bullet!" he groaned before collapsing against the table.

My eyes grew wide when he fell on the ground. "Fuck!" I hissed. "Poison!" I rushed over to the lock box where Oliver kept his bow and ratted through it, looking for the small little bag of herbs that we'd brought home. I rushed over to the first aid kit and tipped some of the herbs into a cup before pouring some water over the top and mixing them together.

"Oliver!" I called out, pulling him into a seated position so he could have a drink. "Come on Oliver, drink this! You'll feel better in no time!"

Oliver drank the mixture in seconds before passing out in the middle of the lair.

I let out a sigh of relief after checking his pulse. It was a little crazy but slowing down.

When I got to my feet, I grabbed the gauze I was using to clean the wound and took a sniff. "Yeah, definitely poison," I told myself as I studied the piece of fabric. It smelt like tar, like what you lay on a road when you reseal it. I put the gauze down and sat at the computer, hoping to find the poison solely based on the scent.

I glanced over at Oliver and returned back to the screen.

The only thing I could find was a plant called Curare.

So an assassin interrupts the Hood whilst he's working on a One Percenter. He doesn't need to make the shoot, maybe only wing him and he's dead no matter what.

I sat back and turned the TV on to watch the news report.

Whoever had killed James Holder had shot him, twice in the heart. He didn't necessarily need to shoot him. He had to be a sniper. A sniper that uses a rare and deadly poison to ensure his target's death-or her target's death. The killer has a unique MO…they're crazy but unique.

It took Oliver a couple hours to get back on his feet, by that time I'd used the system to hack into Interpol and find the name of a suspect as well as ducking out to get Oliver something to eat. Those herbs always left a weird taste in my mouth whenever I took them.

"So I cracked this case wide open whilst you were dead to the world," I grinned.

Oliver gulped down a bottle of water and threw it in the bin. "Thanks, River." He came over, leaning on the table for support. "What did you find?"

"Curare," I answered. "That's what the bullet was laced with. Our killed has been all over the world. Chicago, Markovia, Corto Maltese…they call him Deadshot. Because he never misses." I grinned. "Deadshot is an assassin for hire. Someone hired him to kill James Holder. We have to find out why."

Oliver nodded. "I was prepared to give James Holder a chance. This guy has no morality, no honor, no code. He's just as dangerous as those on the List. Do you feel up to a trip back to the crime scene? See what you can learn from the police?"

I grinned and pulled my hair back in a bun. "Go home, you look tired. Get your strength back up and I will see you in the morning."

"You sure?" he asked me.

I nodded. "I'll crash here tonight."

Oliver nodded. "I'll finish bandaging this then go."

I grinned and went to change.

It wasn't the solo mission I was looking for but it certainly was a start.


	13. Chapter 13

**++++++ highlander348 - never written a torture scene before. That could be interesting. **

** WinterRain36 - I'm majorly excited for her first solo hunt as well. **

**Standard disclaimer - now on with the show!**

**Thirteen**

_I slammed the bamboo staff across the mercenaries face with a twisted smirk of my own before knocking him to the ground. My opponent fell to his knees with a groan and dropped his staff, hand at the ready for surrender. _

_"__You know what surrender is here, don't you?" I asked him with a sneer. Four months living on Lian Yu in the company of hired guns and a psychopath had changed me. I held up my staff and glanced over at Wintergreen and he gave the slightest nod. I grinned and slammed the staff against the side of his head, knocking him out. _

_Clapping from the side of the circle alerted me to the fact that Fyers was back from wherever he had been. "Impressive, Miss Quinn. I do enjoy your lack of mercy when it comes to an opponent."_

_"__Mercy isn't the object really," I shrugged. "Is it?"_

_He smiled. "I guess not." He motioned for me to join him as he headed away from the circle. "Some of my men found something this morning…a friend of yours I believe."_

_I raised an eyebrow. "A friend of mine? My friends all think that I'm dead."_

_Fyers opened a tent flap with a curious smirk on his face. _

_I stepped in passed Fyers and laughed when I saw Oliver in the tent, he'd seen better days that's for sure. He still held that spoilt rich kid attitude out in front of him like a shield or something. "Wow-you're alive…nifty." _

_"__River!" Oliver cried out. "River! You gotta tell them to let me go! I don't know this person they're after."_

_Fyers cleared his throat. "I was under the assumption that only you had survived alone. Not with this gentlemen."_

_"__Gentlemen?" I laughed. "I wouldn't call him that. Spoilt rich brat, maybe. Should have done what his dad did-shot himself in the head. Would have been easier." _

_Oliver glared at me. "River-what are you doing here with them?"_

_I held the bamboo staff underneath his chin, forcing it up. "I'd rather be here with them than with you, rich boy. Tell them what they want to know and they won't kill you. Money can't save you here, Oliver."_

_"__I don't know him!" Oliver snapped. _

_Fyers smiled. "You're a poor liar, Mr Queen. When I asked your young friend here if she knew him and she said no-I believed her. When she said she was alone on the island I knew that was a lie-not a lie out of loyalty but a lie out of self-preservation. I admire the need to survive. To adapt. Miss Quinn has adapted rather brilliantly to the situation if I do say so myself." _

_Oliver's eyes widened in terror when he saw who was now standing behind me. _

_"__I'll offer you one more chance before my manners leave me," Fyers warned Oliver. _

_"__I don't know him!" Oliver shouted. "I thought I was here by myself."_

_"__Do you know what this island is named?" Fyers questioned. _

_Oliver shook his head. _

_"__We're on Lian Yu," he answered. "It's Mandarin for 'purgatory'. But I can make it feel like hell. Now I don't know why you're protecting him. You're young, foolish. Maybe you don't know and just have one of those faces. Think on that when you're begging for death." He turned to Wintergreen. "He's all yours now."_

_I stepped out of the way and followed Fyers outside. "You knew I was lying about Oliver?"_

_He nodded. "I did. But, when all is said and done, you've chosen your side. Like Mr Wintergreen has chosen his. Now-I've assigned you to a patrol group tomorrow," Fyers told me, changing the subject. "You won't be carrying a gun, because I don't trust you enough to handle a gun but I had something brought in for you."_

_I raised an eyebrow. "And it's not even my birthday."_

_Fyers ignored me as we went over to the supply tent. He waved over the quartermaster who dumped a box on the table. "This is called a kodachi," he explained. "It's a Japanese short sword. You have a talent with knives and blades that Mr Wintergreen suggested we exploit. Now-I want you up tomorrow at 0500, if you're late-you get the cage for a week as punishment. Understood?"_

_I nodded as I picked up the blade. "Yeah...0500…got it."_

* * *

The crime scene was a bust. Any evidence that had been left behind had been taken by the police and CSI. Once the police were gone, I decided to take a closer look at the crime scene, not realizing that all of them weren't actually gone.

I knelt down to take a look at the bullet mark on the floor, taking a sample of the wood to smell it-yup. Curare.

"FREEZE POLICE!" shouted a voice behind me.

I groaned internally and stood up, my hand just inches away from the knife hidden in my bicep.

It was Detective Lance and Peter. Both men looked as though Christmas had come early this year.

"No you're a hard person to track down," Peter told me as his hand felt around for his handcuffs. "You're usually with the Hood but lately you've been missing."

"_Can't a girl have a vacation?_" I asked him innocently, switching the voice scrambler on.

"Least we got one of you sons of bitches," Lance growled. "Wonder who's under the mask? You're a murderer. A psychopath."

Peter approached me cautiously, gun still trained on my torso. "Hands behind your head and get on your knees."

"_Not on a first date_," I smirked. The moment Peter was in grabbing distance, I reached for the gun and tossed it off the side of the building before landing a punch in his face and a second on in his gut. I grab a hold of his arm and twist it behind his back to the point where anymore and it would break. "_You're a cop…well…a sad excuse for a cop anyway…the Hood doesn't fire bullets and neither do I. You're after an assassin that Interpol has called Deadshot. He never misses. He's an assassin for hire which meant that someone hired him to take down Holder. When you autopsy the body you'll find a toxin in his blood called Curare. That's his signature._"

"The Hood was here though!" Peter objected. "We found you friend's arrows."

"_James Holder failed this city,_" I growled. "_As did Adam Hunt, Marcus Redman, Martin Somers. Men who are in a position to protect this city and the people inside it from harm but ended up exploiting it, just like Robert Queen._"

I pushed Peter into Lance and both detectives were sent stumbling into the pool. With a salute and a grin, I took a running dive off the edge of the building, landing on the fire escape a couple floors down. When I got to the alley, I started on my way back to the lair.

The police didn't know anything. Oliver needed to talk to someone who would be able to find out who this assassin really is and where the hell he was staying in Starling City. Oliver could follow the money trail on his own.

I stuck to the shadows on my way back, lost completely in my thoughts. I had my own target, once I told Oliver what he needed to know, Shade could go after her very own target. I could do this, I knew that I could. It was Oliver that needed to know it.

I mentally went through the list in my head of what I knew about Jason Broduer which I had to admit wasn't much. I knew he was the CEO of Brodeur Chemicals. As I was going through my list, I ducked into an alley that would take me directly to the lair without having to come across people.

A cough above me alerted me to the fact that I was being watched. I instinctively grabbed for a knife but stopped when I realized that I was being watched by a little girl. She was small probably five, her little legs were dangling over the edge of fire escape near her bedroom window and she was chewing on her blonde curls.

"_It's late, kid,_" I told her. "_You should be in bed._"

She stiffened when she saw me. "You're that mean lady that kills people. I heard my mummy talking about you."

I raised an eyebrow. "_Mean lady?_" I laughed.

"Your voice is scary," she answered.

I turned the scrambler off and climbed jumped up to the fire escape, using the garbage cans for leverage. When I sat down beside her, I could hear her parents inside arguing. "They do that often kid?"

She nodded. "All the time, my daddy lost his job and can't find work. Mummy yells at him all the time."

I rubbed her had playfully. "Want me to stay until you fall asleep kid?"

She nodded again.

"Well let's tuck you in," I smiled.

She grabbed my hand and we climbed in through her bedroom window. She climbed in bed and I pulled the sheets around her. "What's your name?" she asked me.

"Shade," I answered. "What's yours?"

"Melody," she yawned.

"I'm going to be right outside that window, Melody," I told her.

"You're not a mean lady," she yawned again as I climbed out the window. I close the curtains just enough so she could see outside than closed the window so she wouldn't get cold. Sitting down on the fire escape I sighed and started going over my list again.

Long night, I frowned. But that's okay.

**++++++ I hope you liked that little scene at the end. I put it in because I wanted to show that River's not a complete psychopath. Let me know what you think ++++++**


	14. Chapter 14

**++++++ Sorry there was no update last night, I was at a farewell party for one of the girls from work and I didn't get home till like ten-ish then I totally crashed. **

** highlander348 - she's definitely darker than Oliver because of her time with Fyers and Wintergreen. I'm having fun writing River because I've never written someone like her before. The anti-hero if it were. **

** WinterRain36 - she is still on her solo mission. After this chapter she'll have her fun with Brodeur **

** kindleflame5 - I will be loosely sticking to canon. And when I say loosely I mean basic important plot points like Deadshot, the Dark Archer, the Undertaking but the rest I will be making my own. Like Felicity finding out about River then eventually Oliver, and River's relationship with Roy (there will be lemons!) And Felicity being Felicity will put two-and-two together about River and Oliver when she finds out River is Shade. **

**I hope you all enjoy this chapter!**

**Standard disclaimer ++++++**

**Fourteen**

It was the middle of the afternoon the following Saturday when I got the lead in my case that I was looking for. I was sitting on the couch in the media room midway through a can of Red Bull catching up on the TV shows I had missed when there was a news flash.

"_There were no signs of forced entry or any evidence of a struggle, but hours later, the police found the bloodstained kitchen knife in the trunk of the car. Forensic analysis verified that the blood belonged to his wife. Peter Declan's fingerprints were found on the handle of the blade._"

"What are you watching?" Walter asked from behind me.

I turned around to see the CEO standing there in the middle of his own little break from work. "Catching up on missed TV," I shrugged. "Who's this Peter Declan guy?"

Walter paused. "He apparently murdered his wife in their baby's bedroom," he told me as the memory came back.

"Oh," I frowned. "Gee…no wonder he's in prison. Seems to me that he deserves it."

"…_an interview with Peter Declan…_"

"_…__Camille was everything to me…I couldn't kill her any more than I could kill myself…_"

"_…__Camille Declan's former employer, Jason Brodeur, released a statement saying, quote-_"

Wait-Jason Broduer?

I leant in closer to the TV, ignoring Walter and stared at the image of Jason Brodeur.

Well…you sneaky bastard…a dead woman and a name that's on the List…I think Shade will be paying Mr Brodeur a visit this evening.

"River," Oliver called out behind me.

I turned the TV off and got up. "Hey, Ollie. How's it going?"

Oliver motioned me over into the hallway. "No news on Brodeur?" he asked me in a hushed whisper.

I smirked. "I may have gotten a lead on him…Peter Declan, a guy who's in jail, about to be executed for killing his wife who turns out, worked for Brodeur. I have an in, finally."

Oliver smiled. "I must admit, here I thought you were going to run in guns blazing and just torture him or something."

I gasped in mock hurt. "Me? Run in guns blazing without a plan? I'm hurt, Oliver Richard Queen."

Oliver raised an eyebrow.

"I'm gonna head out to the lair, do some research," I told him. "We'll catch up later on the Deadshot thing."

"That's what I wanted to talk to you about," Oliver answered, following me outside. "I may need some help tonight. If you're not busy that is."

"Just text me a time and a place," I grinned as I grabbed my coat on the way out. During the week I'd managed to get myself a driver's licence with much help from Oliver. It wasn't easy to forget the teachings of my psychopathic teacher but I'd managed it. To celebrate, I'd brought myself a Suzuki Hayabusa coloured completely black with a purple helmet. Oliver had helped me procure a custom Yamaha YZF R1 for Shade decorated in the same blackish purple colour as my suit.

I saluted Diggle sarcastically as I passed him.

"Good afternoon, Miss Quinn," he nodded politely.

"Loose him again, did you?" I laughed. "It's kinda like a game now, Dig." I grinned and put my headphones in, turning the radio on to listen to more of that Peter Declan case.

The news said he had no alibi, all the evidence pointed toward him. He was tried, convicted and sentenced to death.

It seemed like an open-and-shut case to me.

The only thing that didn't sit right was the fact that Camille worked for Jason Brodeur.

I wasn't going to beat around the bush here, I'm not that kinda girl. Shade would be definitely paying Brodeur a visit tonight, of that I was sure. The only reason I was doing the research was so that Oliver didn't bench me again because he thought I did it wrong.

I was getting two birds with one stone. Saving the life of an innocent man by taking out the poison in his life.

As the lights at the end of the road started to turn red, I started to break. When I passed an alley way, something caught my attention. A guy in a red hoodie getting the crap beaten out of him by some street thugs.

I rolled my eyes and continued on to the lights, stopping behind some minivan.

When the lights turned green, I was still there.

The driver behind me slammed his hand on the horn.

I stuck my finger up at him as I turned the bike around, heading back to the mouth of that alley. As I got off the bike, I pulled my helmet off and shoved my headphones and phone into my pocket. "HEY!" I shouted. "HEY!"

One of the thugs who seemed to be guarding the alley fight turned around and put his hand on my shoulder. "Fuck off, little girl. This isn't any of your business."

I raised an eyebrow. "You've two seconds to move your arm or lose it," I warned him.

He smirked. "What you gonna do about it? Bat your eyelids at me?"

I grabbed his arm and twisted it around til breaking point before I punched it, grinning at the sound of breaking bone. He shouted out, gripping his arm like it would stop the pain or something. I swiftly punched him in the throat, momentarily cutting off his airway before slamming the side of his head up against the dark brick wall, effectively knocking him unconscious.

I knelt down to grab a rusty pipe on the alley floor, twirling it in my hand like a cheerleader's baton as their attention turned from their red hooded victim onto little old me. "Batter up," I smirked when the first one rushed me.

The pipe was swung out, connecting to the first morons face before I punched him in the gut and kicked his legs out from under him. He started to get up but I hit him in the face with the pipe and was answered with a spray of blood and a few broken teeth. I pushed my foot down on his throat, forcing him to the ground. "I'd stay there if I were you, next hit and your unconscious."

He didn't listen.

He grabbed my foot and tugged, forcing me off him. I stumbled and lost my footing, as I fell, I tucked myself into a ball and rolled before getting back on my feet, dropping the pipe in the process. "You should have listened, bitch," he hissed through a mouth full of blood and broken teeth.

Someone grabbed me from behind. I threw my head back, connecting with the hard surface of my attackers face. Thrusting my elbow back and upwards I forced him backwards into a pile of garbage cans.

When I turned around, I was hit in the side of the head with my pipe.

My head was spinning when he hit me twice in the side, knocking me to the ground. I released a feral growl and dove forward, sending the two of us to the ground. I hit the guy in his ugly face whilst struggling to get the pipe out of his hands. After I finally got the pipe from him, I thrust it down against his wind pipe and put all my weight downwards. "That fucking hurt," I hissed, feeling the blood drip down the side of my face.

I glanced around, hoodie guy was still leaning up against the wall whilst the fourth and fifth thugs were staring at me like I was crazy. Instead of joining the fight like their little friends, the two of them suddenly seemed to wise up and ran off.

With a scowl, I got to my feet and kicked him in the head before throwing the pipe away. My knuckles were bloody and a little bruised and there was a gash on my head but otherwise I was okay, there were no broken ribs, just maybe some bruises.

"You pack a punch for a little girl," the hood guy finally spoke up. "But I didn't need your help."

"Well you got it," I snapped at him. "And be fucking grateful next time. Glorified punching bag isn't a great title."

"I don't need your help," he hissed at me.

I brushed the rust of my hands and walked up to hood guy. "Need a hospital?" I asked him.

He laughed at me. "This is the Glades sweetheart, no-one who lives here can afford it. And I don't need some rich upstart bitch's help."

I raised an eyebrow. "People used to be much nicer," I grumbled. "Well, next time I'll just let you be tossed out with the trash, hoodie." I reached out and pushed his hood back, stopping for a split second when I saw those blue eyes staring back at me.

"Hoodie?" he asked me with a slight smirk on his face.

"Shut up," I growled. "You look okay, but go see a doctor."

"And have the cops show up and ask me about this?" he sneered. "I have a record as it is. Don't need the police to know some little girl saved my life."

"Whatever," I snapped. "Be an asshole, see if I care." I flicked him in the ear and walked back to my bike. In a way he was right about one thing, I couldn't go to a hospital and sure I could fix myself up but I needed someone to take a looked at the head wound and I didn't have eyes in the back of my head.

"You got a name?" hoodie shouted after me.

I turned and stuck my finger up at him. "It's River. You?"

"Roy," he yelled back.

I grinned and got on the bike. "Later, Roy." I pulled my helmet on with a wince and headed back out of the Glades.

Once I'd found where I was going, I waited until I was in front of the actual door before knocking and taking my helmet off.

When Felicity opened the door wearing her daggy weekend clothes eating left over Chinese she almost dropped the egg roll she was holding. "Oh my god! River! What the hell happened to you?" she gasped.

"Can I come in?" I asked her.

"You need a doctor! Or the cops!" Felicity argued. "Did you get mugged?"

I shook my head. "I'll explain whilst you play nurse," I replied.

Felicity stood aside and let me in.

I sat my helmet down and took my jacket off before sitting down.

Felicity dropped her food on the table and rushed into her bathroom for a first aid kit.

I grabbed her last egg roll and finished it off when she came back in.

"Start talking or I'm calling the police," she ordered.

"I didn't get mugged," I mumbled with a mouth full of food.

Felicity glared at me, putting my mother's evil glare to shame.

I held my hands up on surrender and started explaining what had happen.

**++++++ I hope you liked River and Roy's first meeting! I mean who wants love at first sight over spilt coffee or something? Blood and broken bones and mutual dislike is more fun :P Suggestions for a second meeting would be appreciated! I love listening to all your ideas! I file them away for later ++++++**


	15. Chapter 15

**++++++ Torture scene warning! If you're not a fan, please, skip this chapter and wait for sixteen. **

**This is my first torture scene I have ever written so please don't judge me. I wasn't sure what to do with this so I spent a few hours researching torture scenes and got carried away with watching My Bloody Valentine with Jensen Ackles...anyway...off topic here...**

**Hope you do like this chapter, if you think I could include something else, please let me know and I will file it away for next time or see how I can edit this chapter and fix it. I'm rather nervous about it and spent last night plus most of today trying to make it better. **

**Insert standard disclaimer here ++++++**

**Fifteen**

Felicity was less then pleased with me but agreed to keep the police out of it. She told me she was proud of me stepping in to save some kid from the Glades but told me next time to call the police and keep out of it. She threatened to call my step-dad the next time something like this happened.

I laughed it off and after a couple hours of lounging around and eating leftovers, I made myself an excuse to leave and headed to the lair.

I spent what was left in the day to do a little research on Brodeur Chemical and Jason Broduer before suiting up. It was a Saturday night, Brodeur and his bodyguard/head of security would be leaving one of the newest and hottest restaurants in town with Brodeur's latest piece of ass. So tonight, that meant he was leaving _Four_ with Australian supermodel Ashlie Waters.

His driver was sitting in Brodeur's town car reading the latest issue of playboy when I found him. I knocked on the window dressed as Shade but with the restaurants signature red jacket over the top. He jumped a little and opened the window, letting me stick him with a needle full of Hemlock.

He gasped and cried out in shock before his entire body stiffened up.

I grinned and opened the door of the car, dragging him out to hide him behind the garbage. He'd be dead soon if no one found him and I was planning on no one finding him. I pulled the jacket off and after removing him of his jacket, I put it on and got into the car, tying my hair back and slipping on the hat the poor sod had to wear.

Almost half an hour later, Brodeur and his bodyguard came out of the restaurant followed by a very irate looking supermodel. The guard, Ankov, stepped in front of Brodeur and pushed her away as she started yelling at him. I chuckled and straightened up, turning the car on as two the men climbed in the back.

"I have stuff to do at work," Brodeur growled at me. "Move it or you're fired."

I turned out of the parking lot and drove away from the restaurant whilst Brodeur and Ankov talked about work. I hadn't the lightest clue where Brodeur chemicals was but I knew where I was taking them-an abandoned factory on the other side of the Glades where no one would hear them.

"Once the Undertaking is done with we can make this town what we want it to be," Broduer scowled midway through the conversation.

I raised an eyebrow. The Undertaking? What the hell was the Undertaking?

Ankov opened his mouth but stopped when he realized they were driving through an abandoned warehouse district. "Where the hell are we going?" he snapped, reaching forward to grab my shoulder.

The moment he made contact with the jacket, I hit him with the Taser that the driver had in the front seat, knocking him out cold. "_I wouldn't move if I were you, Mr Brodeur,_" I smirked, staring at him through the rear view mirror.

He shot me a glare as we drove through a large enough gap in the fence.

"_That gun you have in your sites won't do you any good either_," I warned him, stopping the car. I got out of the car, tossing the hat and jacket aside before pulling my hair back down and adjusting my domino mask. I opened the door and mock bowed, allowing Brodeur to get out with what dignity he had left. "_I have a seat this way for you, Brodeur_."

He glared at me and got out of the car. "I will kill you, little girl. Your life means nothing, absolutely nothing now if you do this."

"_I've already decided to do this_," I smirked. I curled my fist into a ball and punched him straight underneath the chin, knocking him unconscious. I smirked and knelt down beside the body. Wintergreen had taught me that move first hand. A punch to the chin pushes the lower jaw into the pain receptors at the base of the ears resulting in knocking a person out.

I grabbed Brodeur's pant leg and proceeded to drag him into the warehouse where I had everything already set up for him.

"_Shade, I need you!_" Oliver's voice called out over the com.

I rolled my eyes at the timing and pulled the earpiece out of my ear before turning it off. You couldn't have worse timing there Oliver, I grumbled. I busied myself with Brodeur, strapping him down to the chair in the middle of the warehouse floor and making sure that he was secured before standing back and waiting for him to wake up.

Almost ten minutes had passed before Brodeur decided to grace me with his presence.

When he did wake up, he struggled against the cables I'd used to tie him to the chair. "You fucking bitch!" he hissed at me. "You fucking worthless bitch! You're not worth the air you breath! LET ME GO!"

"_Are you done screaming like a stock pig_?" I asked him, playing with one of my knives. "_Because you might want to reserve that anger, we've got all night, and Ankov won't be waking up any time soon._"

"Is it money?" he asked me.

I shook my head. "_No. You see, you were on my list. I was going to kill you either way but a news report this morning had me intrigued. The fact that you are on the list is bad enough, but the murder of Camille Declan and the imprisonment of her husband had me intrigued. I think you killed her and framed her husband._"

He laughed. "Is that was this is about? You're fucking insane."

I shrugged. "_Maybe I am. But so are you._" I pushed myself off the table and walked over to him before sitting on his lap and holding the knife against his finger. "_Camille suspected you of illegal dumping according to her husband. Her supervisor said that she never came to see him than she mysteriously ends up dead, leaving a child without parents._"

"I had nothing to do with it!" he hissed.

"_Liar!_" I hissed, cutting straight through the finger.

His scream rang through the warehouse and I tossed the finger on the floor. "_You've got eight more fingers, two thumbs, ten toes and nose, two ears and a penis I can use_," I smirked.

He glared at me. "You're nothing like the Hood! And yet you're his partner!"

I rolled my eyes and proceeded to remove his ring finger. "_Peter claimed Camille had a file full of evidence. Where is it?_" I snapped, holding the knife against a third finger.

"I don't have anything to do with this!" Brodeur shouted.

I leant forward and traced the bloody tip of the knife over his face, stopping near his eye. "_You've got such pretty brown eyes…eyes you use to see things, and those ears…you hear things…you're a smart man. A CEO who would know everything that goes on in his business._" Grabbing the skin of his right ear, I slowly cut through the flesh, listening to the sound of his painful screams as he lost his ear.

I got off his lap and tossed the ear aside. "_I can continue to cut off various body parts, Brodeur, as much fun it is to listen to you scream and struggle like a worm, it doesn't serve a purpose._"

Brodeur's breathing was ragged and shallow amongst the various whimpers that escaped his mouth.

"_You're going to die here…how you die depends on the truth you tell me_," I warned him, switching for a second knife, one with a small curve at the end. "_If you tell me the truth, tell me where the evidence is that will exonerate an innocent man, I will kill you fast. You won't even know that you're dead. If you lie to me…continue to lie to me…I will remove your skin inch by inch until you bleed to death_."

I walked back over to him and rolled his sleeve up, ignoring the struggling act he was putting up. Brodeur screamed when I inserted the tip underneath his flesh, slicing upwards, removing a long flap of skin in the process.

Honestly, thank god I was wearing gloves.

The process continued for another half an hour until he started begging me to stop.

I stood back and waited, allowing him time to catch his breath before clearing my throat. "_There is a reason you wanted me to stop?_" I asked him.

"I'll tell you…" he gasped. His skin was covered in a mixture of sweat and blood-I was also pretty sure he'd pissed himself. "I'll tell you where the file is…please…please don't kill me…please."

I tapped the blade against my arm. "_Who has the file?_"

"Camille's supervisor!" he sobbed. "I paid him to say Camille never came to him…Matt Istook!"

I smiled. "_See...lying doesn't get you anywhere, now does it?"_ I grabbed a bottle of water and let him take the first sip. "_Better?_"

He gasped and nodded.

"_Tell me...what's the Undertaking_?" I asked him.

Brodeur shook his head. "I'd rather die then tell you!" he hissed.

"_And I believe you_," I nodded as I threw the bottle of water away and pulled the nunchuck out of my boot before wrapping it around his neck.

"You promised!" Brodeur screamed, struggling as I stood behind him.

I leant down with a smirk. "_I didn't promise you anything…Jason…I said I would kill you quickly if you told me the truth, slowly if you lied to me._" I gripped the metal bars tightly and pulled, "_Jason Brodeur…you have failed this city_," I smirked, systematically cutting off his breathing at the same time I twisted them around, snapping his neck. I patted him on the head. "_You better not be lying to me sunshine or I will kill your family next_."

Empty threat to a dead man but he knew what I meant.

There was a can of gasoline that I had sitting next the table that I retrieved and quietly poured all over Brodeur, along the ground and over the table top before lighting a match. I stood there staring at the body for what seemed like forever before I threw it on him.

The match was inches away from his body before the fumes caught alight.

The flames roared upwards over everything the gasoline covered. I kicked the gasoline can into the flames before making my way outside.

The moment I hit the outside air, someone shot at me, missing me by millimeters.

I look up at Ankov and smirked. "You missed," I told him as I gripped my nunchuck.

He fired again and again as I ran at him, swinging the melee weapon up and over my head before bringing it crashing down against his face, knocking him off guard.

I swung my leg out underneath him and cracked him in the face before stepping back. "_I'd stay down if I were you…Ankov_." As I walked passed him, I knelt down and grabbed his hands in mine before pushing them up against his jacket. Let Ankov explain to the police why he had traces of gasoline and Brodeur's blood on his shirt.

I stuck my ear piece back in my ear and turned it on only to be greeted by a very angry sounding Oliver.

"_I've been calling you for over an hour now!_" Oliver shouted.

"I had Brodeur, I wasn't letting him out of my site," I answered back. "What is the problem?"

"_Deadshot tried to take out Walter at this auction_," Oliver answered me back. "_I need you back here now, we have a problem_."

"Give me an hour," I replied, pausing halfway up the wall I was climbing. "And I'll be there…there's a file I need to retrieve."

"_You've got forty minutes_," Oliver warned me before the line went dead.

**++++++ Next chapter we'll have the lovely Diggle, some more Felicity and definitely more Roy! If you have an idea on the time frame I should draw it out before River and Roy become a couple, or some ideas as to how they become a couple or should they have lemons first before they become a couple...use your imagination! I love to hear all ideas! ++++++ **


	16. Chapter 16

**++++++ Two in one day-mainly cause I feel like I cheated you this week what with me being out and all. Hope you like ++++++**

**Sixteen**

When I returned to the lair I was ready to rip Oliver a new one as I slammed the file down on the table. "What the hell Oliver?" I snapped. "I was in the middle of something!" I glared at Oliver sitting on the table, dressed in his Hood suit with worry written all over his face.

For a moment I let a whole range of ideas get into my head.

Did Deadshot get Walter?

Thea would have been there…

Moira…

Oh my god, what if one of them was killed?

I stopped ranting in my mind when I saw the body lying on the table in the lair was Oliver's bodyguard John Diggle with a bullet wound on his arm. "Um-what the flying fuck?" I asked him. "Did Deadshot do that or did you?"

"Deadshot," Oliver replied. "Diggle was dying…I had to do something to save his life…" He glanced over at the file I'd thrown on the table. "What's in that?"

"Evidence to exonerate and innocent man," I replied. "I'm going to deliver it to the police tomorrow. After they discover Ankov with Jason Brodeur's dead body." I pulled my wig and mask off, sitting them alongside the file I had liberated from Istook's office. "Is it safe to have Diggle here? Are you planning on telling him?"

"You've got a choice at getting out now before he wakes up," Oliver warned me. "But, Diggle is smart, he'll put two and two together and know that you're Shade."

I paused. "You always say research is the key," I replied. "It's your decision. I trust you Ollie." No sooner than the words had left my mouth, a groan came from the metal table where Diggle was lying. I crossed to the little fridge near the computers and grabbed a bottle of water for Diggle as he slowly sat up, studying his surroundings.

"Hey, hey, hey," Oliver frowned, trying to make sure he didn't get up too fast.

Diggle paled, he looked Oliver up and down, putting everything together. "Oliver?" he gasped. "You're that vigilante?"

"Easy, Dig," Oliver answered.

"Drink, Diggle," I ordered, handing him the bottle of water. "You were poisoned."

Diggle paled even more. "Son of a bitch! You two?"

"I could have taken you anywhere, could have taken you home but I brought you here," Oliver argued with him.

Diggle stared at the two of us. "You really did lose your mind on that island! Both of you!"

"Found a couple things along the way," Oliver argued back.

I leant up against the table and folded my arms.

"What?" Diggle growled. "Archery classes?"

I snorted.

Oliver glared at me. "Clarity," he answered. "Starling City is dying."

Diggle almost rolled his eyes.

"It is being poisoned by a criminal elite who don't care who they hurt," Oliver continued, "as long as they maintain their wealth and power."

The body guard crossed his arms. "What are you two gonna do? Take 'em down by your lonesome? He laughed. No."

Oliver walked up to him and stopped. "No. I want you to join us."

Diggle scoffed.

"Special forces out of Kandahar," he spoke as if reading from a manuscript. "It's perfect. You're a fellow soldier."

"You're not a soldier!" Diggle snapped. "You're a criminal! A murderer! And she's a bloody psychopath!" he argued, pointing at me.

I raised an eyebrow. "Why does everyone keep saying that?" I mumbled. I shook my head and marched back to the table where my wig, mask and the file were being kept. "You deal with this, Ollie. I'm going to pay a visit to the police."

"And turn yourself in I hope," Diggle suggested.

I put the wig back on and my mask with a shake of my head. "I'm taking my bike," I told Oliver. "I'll see you at home, later." As I headed out of the lair, I could hear Diggle and Oliver having a loud discussion over our nightly activities. I laughed and headed over to my bike, pulling my black bikers jacket and helmet on before starting it.

Now all I had to do was hope to god that Diggle wouldn't call the police.

I'd really hate having to explain this to Peter.

* * *

I watched Peter as he left the police station, heading towards his car with a couple bruises from our encounter the other night. I swung my leg over my bike and waited til he passed me before slamming him up against the wall.

"_Good evening, Detective Wilson_," I smiled.

"You!" he snapped. Peter pushed back against me, catching me off guard for a second. He tried to punch me but I jumped back. I pulled a knife out the holster on my pant leg and held it up against his throat, using that as leverage to push him back up against the car.

"_Relax, Detective, I'm here to help you_," I told him. "_I'm here about Peter Declan._"

"He murdered his wife!" Peter growled. "You and he wanna start a club?"

I chuckled. "_He doesn't belong in my kind of club. I actually went to pay a visit to Jason Brodeur this evening but alas, he wasn't in his office. However, I did find something of equal value to you._" I stepped back and sheathed my blade before handing him the file. "_Camille Declan's evidence of illegal dumping with toxic waste. I thought this would be of some use to free an innocent man_."

Peter scoffed but didn't make a move. "Since when does Shade take an interest in innocent men? You're a murderer. You're no better than the criminals I put away."

"_Maybe I'm not_," I replied. "_But have I actually killed an innocent person? I've only ever taken down One-Percenters who lie, cheat, steal and murder to get what they want. I've never killed an innocent. You hold in your hand, the evidence to free a condemned man. You should pay a visit to Ankov, Brodeur's bodyguard, I'm sure he has some interesting things to say._"

I stepped backwards into the shadows and watched Peter as he flicked through the file. He glanced around, looking for me. When he realised that he wouldn't find me, Peter grabbed his stuff off the ground and ran back inside.

I smiled, hopefully within the next few days, Peter Declan would see his daughter as a free man.

That made me a little happy inside.

* * *

It was business as usual at the Queen mansion the next morning. I was mildly surprised at the lack of police vehicles on the premises when I got back after paying Peter a visit.

When I came down for breakfast, there were no police waiting to cart me or Oliver away. I was hoping that whatever Oliver had said to Diggle had made him join our merry band or had been told enough to convince him keep his mouth shut.

Just as I finished up with my breakfast, I had a phone call from Felicity asking me to join her for lunch. Just before I left, I saw Oliver in the living room with his mother and another man in a suit. "Where's Diggle?" I frowned at Oliver, giving him the what the hell look?

"Mr Diggle tendered his resignation this morning," Moira informed me. "As I was saying to Oliver, he didn't approve of the way he spent his nights."

"This is Rob Scott," Oliver told me.

I chuckled. "He didn't approve of you spending the night with that Russian thing with the long legs? Geez, Diggle needs to get out more." I zipped my jacket up and winked at Rob. "Good luck buddy."

"Five years SWAT at Monument Point MCU," Rob told me.

I raised an eyebrow. "Five years trapped on a deserted island fighting to survive every day from the elements to wolves who wanted to eat us for dinner-I think I have the better resume." I waved Oliver off and grabbed my helmet. "Having lunch with Felicity if you need me. Later."

"River wait-" Oliver called after me. "Who's Felicity?"

"Felicity Smoak," I answered. "She works IT at your dad's company. We met a couple weeks ago for lunch. Seems I have a new BFF-and speaking of BFF's-Tommy called earlier-something about a potential contractor for your club or something."

"I wanted to talk to you about that," Oliver remembered. "I've asked Tommy to be the club's manager when it opens but I wanted to give you a job as well."

I raised an eyebrow. "Ollie-I have no experience or education passed tenth grade. I didn't go to uni or anything either. You shouldn't be offering me a job."

"It's my club," Oliver argued. "And it's a night time position which means that you won't have to explain why you're out til all hours. You could definitely pull off the hostess position. We could send you to a couple courses, you could get your license to serve alcohol…please River?"

I sighed. "Really? You'd want me to work at your club?"

Oliver nodded.

I groaned. "Okay. You got yourself a deal there, Ollie. I'll see you later."

Oliver grinned at me as I left.

I couldn't help but smile myself.

And it was the same smile that I was wearing when I met Felicity for lunch.

"Find yourself a boyfriend?" Felicity asked me, interested in the grin I was wearing.

I shook my head. "Nope. Still just me. But Oliver offered me a job at his nightclub that he's opening up. I'm kinda nervous."

Felicity raised an eyebrow at me. "The girl who jumps in to rescue blue eyed guys from a street brawl nervous about a job?" she asked me.

I rolled my eyes. "Yes-thank you Felicity. Rub it in. I do enjoy it."

Felicity laughed. "You never did tell me his name. Was he cute?"

"It's Roy," I told her. "Didn't catch a last name but his name's Roy."

She grinned. "Look at you talking about boys and jobs instead of being all silent and broody and all _Lost_-like. You should find him and ask him out."

I snorted as I looked at the menu. "He called me a rich upstart bitch. I'm totally sure he wants to go out with me. Plus-I'm totally damaged. You've seen that." Yes I had gone running to Felicity for help the previous day, but almost gone running away from her when she looked completely horrified by my scars.

Felicity blushed a little at the comment. "I didn't mean to freak out yesterday. It was one of the reasons why I asked you to lunch. I wanted to ask you about them if you'd answer some questions."

I raised an eyebrow. "Felicity-we've known each other a couple weeks, not years. I'm not sure how exactly I can answer your questions. I'm supposed to go to therapy but I'm not. I don't want to lay my experiences out on a plate and let someone analyze me."

Felicity smiled at me. "We're friends…yeah?"

I nodded. "Yes. We're friends. You've cleaned my wounds. I think we've have more than a casual thing going on."

"Then start slow," Felicity smiled. "Tell me about this scar," she said, pointing to the one on my palm.

I rubbed the hand. It was where Oliver and I had made our vow. "Rock," I lied. "Cut my hand on a rock, running away from some wolves."

Felicity gasped. "Wolves? You're joking! Right?"

I shook my head. "Nope. Not joking."

She paused. "Okay…the scar you have on your lower back, just above your pant line. How did you get that?"

Slade, I almost answered.

"You said that you and Oliver were alone on that island but I doubt Oliver could have done all of that to you," Felicity spoke. "I don't think you were alone at all…see…I did some research on that island. It's owned by the Chinese Government and they used it as a prison for some of their most dangerous criminals."

"Colour me impressed," I sneered angrily.

"Don't be mad," Felicity pleaded with me. "You're my friend, I wanted to make sure that you were okay, River. All those secrets bottled up inside-you'll explode one day. And it won't be pretty."

I groaned and ran my hands through my hair. Felicity was right-but if I told her-would she be smart enough to put it together and find out who I was?

I was River.

I was Shade.

Two sides of the same coin.

Two sides of the same damaged coin.


	17. Chapter 17

**++++++ Thank you so much for your support in the previous chapter highlander348 & Kindlefalme5-you both rock! I love the idea of a supportive Felicity! She's kinda like the older sister River never had! Please enjoy this chapter! ++++++**

**Seventeen**

_I've never broken a man's neck before. _

_I knew it took a lot of muscle and strength to be able to twist a man's neck around, completely breaking the bone and killing him. Don't ask me how I knew it-I just did…I think I heard my dad say it once when we were watching a movie. _

_I was practicing my knife throwing when the man in question chose to approach me. Myself and Fyers were the only two in the entire camp who didn't wear a mask or a balaclava-Fyers had some kind of weird obsession with only seeing the eyes of the men that were working for him. The eyes were the window to the soul or some bullshit, he could see a man's intentions through his eyes. He'd never asked me to wear a mask and I never offered. _

_Somewhere in between my arrival on Lian Yu and now, Edward Fyers seemed to treat me differently then he treated his men and differently again from how he treated his right hand man, Wintergreen. _

_This made some of the men less than happy for me to be here. _

_It had become some sort of game for them to see who could get to me first. I didn't have the same skill set as Wintergreen but after being at this for six months, I was faster than them, catching me was virtually impossible unless you were my teacher and I had a talent for going for major organs. _

_I approached the target and started pulling my knives off when he cleared his throat behind me. When I turned, I saw that he wasn't wearing his balaclava-I didn't need to see his eyes-the intention was written all over his face. "Don't you have something better to do?" I asked him. "Like catching a Chinese prisoner by the name of Yao Fei? Or is this some kind of paid vacation for you?" _

_He raised an eyebrow at me before trying to strike me. _

_I dodged his fist and jammed a knife right in between his third and forth rib. I yanked it out and stood back. "Do you have a fucking death wish or did your mother drop you on your head when you were a baby?"_

_He growled and lunged at me. _

_As I stepped aside I knocked is feet out from underneath him, knocking him to the ground. "You're a hired gun," I warned him. "Which means you're expendable. Fyers doesn't care about you. Hell, he doesn't care about me either. I'm entertainment for him. I can accept that. A pet to Wintergreen, someone to teach and punish at the same time. Again-I don't care. But you-no one will miss you. Consider this a warning." _

_I stood up and started walking away as he picked himself up. _

_By this time, most of the mercenaries that weren't doing anything had stopped to watch. _

_"__Bitch!" he hissed. _

_He connected hard with my back, sending the two of us sprawling into the mud. He tried to use my body to pull himself up so that he could punch me in the face, I hit him with my elbow and struggled out from underneath him. He caught my boot and pulled me back down. _

_When I grabbed his hand, I pushed it backwards until I heard a distinctive popping sound followed by a scream. I let his hand go and used my legs to wrap around his neck before pulling myself up on his chest. He glared at me and I punched him in the face several times before getting to my feet. I ignored my bloodied knuckles and spat on him. "Don't," I warned him as he struggled up. _

_I kicked him down again and grabbed him in a chokehold. "You really must be fucking stupid."_

_"__I'm gonna fucking kill you bitch!" he hissed. _

_"__You first," I whispered in his ear before I snapped his neck. I'd seen Wintergreen do it a couple times, it looked easy enough but in fact it required a lot of muscle. Muscle I never knew I had. _

_When the body dropped to the ground, I noticed Wintergreen standing there watching me. I swear if he wasn't wearing that mask he'd be smirking at me. _

_He waved me over. _

_I stepped over the body and walked back over to Wintergreen. "Sorry about that."_

_He grunted and walked away, forcing me to follow him. _

_I frowned. I'd just killed one of his men and he didn't care. _

_At all. _

_"__Where are we going?" I asked him, knowing full well that he wouldn't answer me back. _

_"__Leaving camp," someone else answered me. "Fyers wants us to meet us. Suit up little girl."_

* * *

I watched the news on the TV with a grin on my face. Just hours before Peter Declan was due to be executed for the death of his wife, the Governor called a stay of execution. Due to the evidence turned in to the police and the confession on Brodeur's bodyguard, Declan was now a free man.

"You look like a kid the morning of Christmas," Oliver chuckled behind me.

I laughed.

"You did good, twitch," Oliver smiled gently. He patted my shoulder and gazed at the TV.

"_At least five federal, state, and local agencies are seeking millions of dollars in fines and environmental clean-up costs from Brodeur Chemical. New facts have come to light that Brodeur Chemical employee Camille Declan had discovered Brodeur was illegally disposing waste and collected a file of evidence against her employer before her murder in 2007. Peter Declan, who was convicted of killing his wife, has been released, and the case has been reopened._"

"Like I said," Oliver smiled, "you did good twitch."

Diggle suddenly cleared his throat behind us, catching our attention.

We both turned and I stood up.

"You here for the bodyguard position?" Oliver asked him. "Cause the new guy just quit."

I smirked. Knew he couldn't handle it.

Diggle shook his head. "No. I'm not. I'm here about the other position." He glanced at me. "Just to be clear, I'm not signing on to be a sidekick. That's her job."

I glared at him. "I'm gonna kick you, Diggle. In the family jewels. And it will hurt."

"You were less offended when I called you a psychopath," Diggle mumbled. He straightened his tie. "You're right Oliver. Fighting for this city needs to be done, and you're both gonna do this with or without me."

Oliver stuck his hands in his jeans pocket. "Yeah."

"With me, there'll be fewer casualties, including you two," Diggle continued.

I laughed. "Diggle. I don't know about Ollie but I am not looking for someone to save me."

Oliver nodded his agreement. "Neither am I."

Diggle shrugged. Maybe not, but you need someone just the same. You're fighting a war, except you have no idea what war does to you, how it scrapes off little pieces of your soul. And you both need someone to remind you of who you are, not this thing you're both becoming." Diggle looked at me. "And you, you need a little more close attention."

Oliver offered Diggle his hand and the two shook it.

As the two men broke apart, the doors in the foyer burst open and in came Peter with Detective Lance and some beat cops.

The sounds of sirens had Moira and Walter walk into the room, stopping whatever they were doing. "What I this?" Moira demanded. "You can't just barge in here."

"Yeah?" Lance smirked with a cocky look on his face. "Well, I got a badge and a gun that say different."

"Hey, what's going on?" Oliver frowned as Lance approached him, handcuffs at the ready. "Detective Lance-" he asked as Peter stood in front of Moira and Walter.

"Oliver Queen, you're under arrest on suspicion of obstruction of justice, aggravated assault-"

"What's going on?" Moira demanded. "Walter! Stop them!"

"-trespassing, acting as a vigilante-"

"Are you out of your mind?" Moira snapped.

"-and murder."

"Peter!" I cut in. "Peter, what the hell is going on?"

Peter shot me he look. "You have the right to remain silent," he warned Oliver as they dragged him from the mansion.

"Give up that right," Lance smirked. "Please do."

I stepped forward but Diggle put his arm in front of me.

"Not here," Diggle warned me.

"But-" I started.

Diggle shook his head. "No, River."

I looked at the door and grabbed my jacket.

"River!" Peter shouted at me as I stormed out of the mansion for my bike. He grabbed my arm and I yanked it away, resisting the urge to throttle him.

"What the hell?" I snapped. "You can't seriously believe that Oliver is the vigilante!" I pulled my keys out of my pocket.

"I need you to come to the station," Peter urged me. "We can talk then your mother will pick you up and take you home."

"It'll be a cold day in fucking hell before I do anything you want," I snapped. "Unless you've got a warrant for my arrest, I suggest you stay away from me." I yanked my helmet on and tore out of the driveway, ignoring the various cop cars parked in the yard.

How the hell had Oliver been caught?

What did he do?

**++++++ FYI - next chapter shall, and will be, good ++++++**


	18. Chapter 18

**++++++ Because I love you all, have another chapter! This one should be sinfully delightful...!**

**Standard disclaimer...wish I owned Arrow...but I don't ++++++**

**Eighteen**

The two rookie cops that Peter had tailing me were sitting out the front of the bar in the Glades I was currently occupying. The bar tender-Hugo-didn't seem to give a damn about the couple weeks left til my twenty-first-especially when I slipped him a hundred to look the other way.

As I threw back a shot of vodka, my phone vibrated on the bar for the millionth time in the two hours I'd been here. The bar tender raised an eyebrow. "Take my advice kid, whatever you're running from, ain't worth running to the Glades and hiding in the bottom of a bottle."

I laughed. "You obviously don't know who I am."

He nodded. "I know. I watch the news. You're River Quinn-the real life inspiration for _Lost_. And I know that Oliver Queen has just been arrested for being the Hood."

I chuckled. Whatever I said, whatever I did, I had to keep up the pretense. "Yeah, trust fund kid turns vigilante. Sounds like a TV show. Or a movie."

He laughed. "I know right."

My phone started ringing again.

Hugo glanced at my phone. "Your mother?" he asked me.

"Bitch," I muttered.

He laughed again. "I must admit, I'd never have my mother under 'Bitch' in my phone but whatever floats your boat-evening Roy, look like someone took a beating today," Hugo spoke, changing the subject.

I looked up in the dirty mirror behind the bar. "Well-what do you know? It's punching bag Roy."

"Fuck off," he muttered, taking a seat two bar stools down. "What brings you down to the Glades?" he asked me, ordering a beer.

"Like you care," I scowled.

Roy chuckled. "Got anything to do with the squad car parked out the front?" he asked me. "Because they ain't here for me."

I poured myself another shot and swiftly drank it, wincing at the burn and the taste. "What do you care? I thought it would be fun for you to see some rich bitch get arrested."

He shrugged. "Hey, if I'm gonna tell all my friends about it, I have to have a reason."

I was sorely tempted to throw my drink in his face.

Hugo laughed at our conversation. "Obviously you never watch the news kid." He glanced up at the TV and the two men watched as the news played the same footage they had been for the last hour.

Roy almost spat his beer all over the counter. "Your friend is the Hood?"

"No!" I snapped. "Now I've got these fucking cops tailing me. I thought I'd hide out at a bar for a couple hours, get smashed and then stumble on to some shitty motel to pass out."

"Maybe your friend lost his marbles on the island," Roy suggested.

I glared at him. "I'd like to see you survive for five years on an island where everything wants to kill you. I was there as well, Roy. I know what it was like. The media sees Oliver Queen and River Quinn as two people who survived against the odds. The doctors see us as some kind of marvel. My family sees me as someone to be pitied. What people don't see is the damage! They see what they want to see! You see some spoilt rich kid-well the only reason I have this money is because my dad fucking died in front of my eyes before I was marooned on an island for five year at the hands of a fucking mercenary psychopath!"

The shot glass exploded in my hand as I tightened my grip on it.

I swore and dropped the remainder of the glass on the counter. "Fucking son of a whore!" I snapped.

Hugo put his towel down. "Roy-take her to the hospital. I ain't got no first aid kit here."

I started pulling the shards of glass out of my hand and poured the bottle of vodka over the wounds, wincing at the burn. "Just give me some of the paper towel," I growled, "and another glass."

"I think that's enough for you," Hugo sighed, taking the bottle away from me.

My bottom lip dropped as I reached out for the bottle. "Hey!"

"I know when enough is enough," he argued. "If you can walk in a straight line over to the door and come back-you can have the bottle back," Hugo told me as he handed me some paper towel.

I flipped him off after I snatched the paper away from him.

Roy chuckled. "You're cute when you're angry."

"Yeah, well fuck you too," I snapped.

He laughed at me again.

I growled. The very idea of me sitting in a bar having my own pity party was enough to make me want to crawl in a hole and die-well crawl in a hole and die with a bottle of vodka would be better.

"Roy-get her out of here," Hugo ordered him. "I don't need the cops coming in and shutting me down for serving two minors. Piss off and go bug someone else."

Roy finished his beer. "Thanks for ruining my night, River."

"Fuck you!" I muttered. I should have been worrying about Oliver, I should be there for him, not wallowing in a bar.

Roy tucked his arms underneath me and started dragging me away from the bar.

"My phone!" I shouted.

He groaned and grabbed my phone, sticking it in his pocket as he dragged me outside. "You go somewhere to stay tonight?"

I shook my head. "Can't go back to the mansion-if Oliver's the Hood than I'm obvious Shade!" I laughed. It was easier sitting down but standing up and the world was spinning a little. "Check me into a motel," I ordered him. "Or take me back to your place."

Roy laughed when the two of us came out into the fresh evening air.

The two cops perked up when they saw us come out.

One got out of the car and came over to us. "Miss Quinn-I think we'll take you home now."

"No thanks!" I growled, holding onto Roy. "I am not going home. I am not going back to my mothers. I am not going back to Peter. You tell Detective Wilson and my mother when you see them that I wish they were dead!" I hissed. I let Roy go, shoved my hands in my pocket and stormed off down the street.

Eventually I found the alley where I'd stashed my bike and started fumbling for my keys.

I growled when I dropped my keys, when I picked them up, Roy snatched them out of my hand. "Hey!" I snapped.

Roy shoved them in his pocket.

I glared at him. "I didn't think you'd care if some little rich brat got her brains spilt on the sidewalk. One less of us to care about." I stepped forward.

He laughed. The arrogant, cocky smirk on his face was starting to piss me off, I wanted to punch the look right off his smug face.

"Give me the goddamn keys!" I snapped.

He shook his head.

I lunged at him but all he did was push me into the alley wall.

"Find yourself a motel and you can come grab the keys from Hugo in the morning," Roy ordered.

I grabbed his hand and yanked him forward, pinning him against the wall. "Keys, Roy. Or I will break every bone in your body."

He smirked, those cocky blue eyes rolled, not taking my threat seriously.

"Fuck you," I snapped.

"If you insist," he replied, grabbing the back of my head to pull me in closer.

Before I was able to register what was happening, his lips were against mine. I moaned in the back of my throat when I opened my mouth to let him in. He tasted like beer and oddly enough caramel.

Roy pressed his free hand against my lower back and pulled me in closer to deepen the kiss.

We were both fighting for dominance over each other in frantic moans.

I had absolutely no clue as to where to put my hands, settling on gripping his hoodie to see if I was able to pull us closer. What little room there was between us was gone and I was able to feel him through his jeans. I pulled back suddenly, gasping for breath. "What the actual hell?" I muttered.

He shrugged. "Seemed the only way to get you to shut up."

"To kiss me?" I asked, double guessing him.

Roy smirked. "You liked it."

"So did you!" I argued.

Roy ran his hands through the trusses of my hair, tugging sharply when he reached the back of my head. I gasped when he started attacked my neck, nipping and sucking at the sensitive skin, surely going to leave a mark-his own kind of personal brand.

I flushed at the thought, squeezing my legs together out of instinct.

Roy muttered something as his hand trailed down between my legs, separating them so that he could stroke me through my jeans.

I moaned at the touch, slightly embarrassed by the reaction my own body was giving away. I could kill a man without blinking, break bones, jump off buildings and climb without protective gear but this was something different entirely. Then there was that little voice in the back of my head that was resilient enough to do this in an alley way.

Roy pulled back. "Can't do this to you here," he muttered. "It's screaming trouble." He grabbed my hand and dragged me down the alley into another street, leaving my brain little time to catch up to wherever he was taking me.

A couple streets away, Roy dragged me up the stairs to what appeared to be his house before pinning me up against the weather stained door. He attacked me aggressively, biting my lower lip to let him into my mouth whilst fumbling with the door.

The surface behind me suddenly disappeared but Roy kept a hold of me, ripping off my jacket as best he could. I yanked the zipper of his hoodie down, practically tearing at the clothing he had on him. The door slammed shut behind us, effectively trapping me in his house as he threw my jacket somewhere far away.

I pushed his hoodie to the ground and yanked at his shirt, smirking at the sound of ripping fabric. "Too much clothing," I muttered, fiddling with his belt.

Roy pushed me up against the wall as he pulled my shirt up over my head. The look in his blue eyes was frantic and wild, almost like a predator who was starving.

Oliver and his problems were so far away right now and I didn't care.

For a second he struggled with my bra, when he managed to get it off, he threw it somewhere behind him and started on my jeans. Once Roy's belt was gone, I unzipped his pant, pushing them down a little so I could get a grip on his engorged length.

Roy groaned into my mouth as I gave him a tug. "Fuck…" he swore, pushing my jeans down passed my hips. He grabbed me around the waist and tossed me over his shoulder as he carried me into the next room.

When he tossed me onto his bed, I struggled to kick my boots off but as I felt the hard fabric of my jeans, I noticed that Roy was eyeing me-well-not me-my scars. Each and everyone one of my scars and tattoos. Evidence of what personal hell I'd been through.

I blinked, scrambling for some kind of response in my brainless head only to have Roy descend on me and kiss the scar that ran up the left side of my torso. My entire body melted at the touch of that sensitive shiny flesh. A cry escaped me when he took a nipple into his mouth and started sucking whilst his free hand made easy business of what little clothing I had left.

My whole body was on fire.

Every little touch, every kiss, every caress was like mini explosions across my flesh.

I ran my hands along his chest, loving the feel of his smooth skin and toned body underneath my hands. I loved the feel of his skin as it quivered underneath my light touches.

Roy's hand trailed down passed my stomach, separating my thighs just a little so that he could stroke me.

I cried out, arching my back as my senses were assaulted in a wave of pleasure I'd never known before. I reached out and grabbed his thick length in my hand, stroking him like he was stroking me. I may not have the resume to back up my actions but I'd read a few things.

Roy pushed a finger inside followed swiftly by a second.

"Fuck!" I hissed, gripping the sheets with my free hand.

He left my nipples and wandered up to kiss me frantically. "What do you want River?" he growled in my ear."Want me to fuck you?"

I shuddered in delight at the animalistic tone. "Fuck…fuck...fuck…" I groaned.

He slipped his tongue in my mouth, forcing me to let him go as he moved out of my reach, positioning himself between my thighs.

I felt my face redden but I gripped his hair tightly, deepening the kiss into something a little bit more primal. I squeezed a little too tightly as he pushed himself into my entrance, losing the battle for dominance of the mouth when he thrust all the way in.

Despite the half a bottle of vodka I'd consumed, it didn't lessen the pain of intrusion for the first time. I screamed-I actually screamed a little, making him pause as tears came to my eyes. I rolled my head to the side but Roy gripped my chin, forcing me to look at him. He gave me that cocky little smirk I still wanted to punch off his face and pressed his lips to mine.

I groaned into his mouth when he pulled himself back and thrust in again. The pain wasn't as much now as he slowly proceeded to drive me completely crazy. It was an odd feeling, being completely stretched and filled by him.

"Jesus…fuck…" I gasped.

"Hell," Roy groaned. "You're so fucking tight, River."

He started on my neck again as I arched into him. Each plunge inside me sent little pleasure signals right up into my brain. I gripped his perfectly shaped ass tightly, enjoying the feel of the heat we were creating between us.

"Faster!" I cried out, wrapping my legs around him, pulling all of Roy in closer. Roy buried his head in my neck, biting me when he rammed into me with much more enthusiasm.

I gasped and dug my nails into his flesh when he came home for the last time. Roy's cry was muffled out by my neck but he hovered over me for a second or two before rolling over onto the bed.

The only sound in the room was one of us breathing heavily.

Roy kissed the scar on my shoulder before licking a bead of sweat off my chest.

"You're an ass," I shuddered, breathing heavily.

"You love my ass," he replied with a cocky smirk.

**++++++ I love your opinions, so please, feel free to tel me your opinions on this scene. Hugs and kisses all! ++++++**


	19. Chapter 19

**++++++ I am loving the support for chapter 18! You all freaking rock! ++++++**

**Nineteen**

When I woke up the next morning, I could hear the shower running in the bathroom. My head spun a little when I got out of bed, rushing to collect my clothes strewn about the apartment. I was pretty sure I was missing my underwear but I was in too much of a rush to get out of here before Roy got out of the shower.

My entire body ached from last night's activities as I searched for my keys, finding them in Roy's jeans on the bedroom floor.

I'm pretty sure this classified as the walk of shame.

I left the apartment in a hurry, making my way back towards the alley where I'd left my bike.

It wasn't until I was at the mansion did I realize that I'd left my phone at Roy's. I swore under my breath as I let myself in, pulling my jacket off in the process.

"Oh my god! River what the hell happened to you!" my mother shrieked scaring the royal crap out of me.

I jumped a little and spun around as my mother and Peter stood in the doorway to the living room with Moira and Walter. "Oh, it's the peanut gallery. What do you want? Finally get that arrest warrant you were after?" I asked Peter sarcastically.

"You've got bite marks on your neck!" my mother practically shouted.

I rubbed my neck with a slight smirk. "Is this some kind of intervention or something? Cause I have things to do already and helping Oliver prove he's not some kind of mental patient is one of them.

"River, it would be an idea for you to hear them out," Walter suggested, clearly looking concerned for my welfare.

I raised an eyebrow. "What? You want me to go see someone? You want me to lay my soul out for someone to analyse and tell me if I'm still all there? I appreciate the help Walter but she was never there for me before, she's only doing it now because it makes her look good with all her friends." I shifted my jacket in my arms. "I'll have a place by the end of the week to save you all the trouble. Now, if you'll excuse me, I need a shower. I smell like booze and incredibly great sex."

"Oliver is going to be in court today," Moira told me as I started up the stairs. "I think he would appreciate it if you were there. I know I would. You're just as much family to Oliver as we are."

I leant over the banister. "Thank you Moira. You and I both know that Oliver isn't the vigilante."

Moira nodded sympathetically. "Yes, River, I know. Detective Lance is simply trying to get back at Oliver for his daughter's tragic passing."

I glared at Peter. "How can you think that Oliver is the Hood?" I asked him. "Is it because we've come back and suddenly, the Hood is here? There's such a thing as coincidence."

"We have evidence of him in a stair well carrying a large green bag," Peter argued with me. "If Oliver is the Hood than you're his partner. It's simple. Dangerous people like yourselves can't roam the streets, River. You need help. A psych eval."

I snorted. "That's all you got? Well, let me tell you something, Peter. It's a struggle, every day to get up out of bed. I barely eat, I can't sleep. Every day is a struggle and talking about it to someone who will ask me how I feel will drive me crazy. You think I have the mindset to be able to hold a weapon or even kill a person? Honestly, you are fucking crazy to think that I could kill people."

"Then come down to the station and prove it," Peter suggested.

"I'm going to have a shower," I replied, marching up the stairs. "I'll be ready for Oliver's court date in twenty minutes."

After a boiling hot shower and a change of clothes, I came back down stairs dressed in a dark blue dress with minimal makeup, a pair of matching flats and a matching jacket. I doubted that the judge would have appreciated a pair of jeans and Converse.

"You do scrub up lovely," Walter complemented me.

"Thank you Walter," I smiled.

"I'll take River," Diggle spoke out when the group left the house.

When I got in the car behind Diggle I let out a huge sigh. "Oliver has to have a plan of some kind. Exposing himself like this is risking everything. The whole mission."

"I don't think the two of you know what you're doing," Diggle pointed out. "Waging war on an entire class of people."

I stared out the window. "An entire class of criminals whose names are in a book that Robert Queen had on his when he shot himself in the head."

Diggle winced. "I mean what I said about keeping you both grounded," he reminded me.

I rolled my eyes. "Thanks, Diggle. But I don't need someone to keep me grounded. I'm a big girl." I shifted in my seat, the muscles in my legs were stiff, which was a feet for me considering I was used to using them so often. How could sex be so different then fighting for your life?

* * *

At the court house, I was surprised to see that Laurel was the one representing Oliver against her own father. The judge granted bail at fifteen million dollars with a five million dollar bond and the condition that Oliver was to wear an ankle monitor to track his whereabouts.

Tommy was there to support his friend, I liked the way he continued to make jokes out of the situation. When Oliver and I got into the car with Diggle the first thing I did was punch Oliver in the arm. "What the fuck are you doing?" I snapped.

"River, it was only a matter of time before the police caught up to him," Diggle warned me. "They'll catch up to you, too eventually."

"They didn't catch me," Oliver argued.

I raised an eyebrow. "Peter said they caught you on video!"

"I knew the security camera was there," Oliver answered nonchalantly. "Just like I new the police would review the footage and arrest me."

"So it was all part of the plan?" I growled.

Diggle shook his head. "So you wanted to get arrested?"

He nodded. "Well, we returned to Starling City and a few days later, the Hood and Shade appear. Sooner or later, somebody was going to make the connection."

"So what part of serving yourself up to the cops will help you avoid going to prison for the rest of your life?" Diggle asked him

"There's more to it than that," Oliver answered.

"There had better be!" I snapped. "Your family is freaking out! Me? I'm being followed by the cops and my parents want to lock me away in a nut house."

"Tonight, I'll explain everything," Oliver told us both. "In the meantime-just don't do anything rash, River."

"Like what?" I asked with a scowl. "We're a team Oliver and you didn't even consult me on this. You brought Diggle in without asking my opinion." I shook my head. "You can sit there and talk your little plan out with your new BFF-Diggle, let me out."

Diggle pulled the car over and let me out leaving me to walk the last couple of blocks to Felicity's place.

When I knocked on the door, the IT girl opened it with a frown on her face. "I don't know if I should be talking to you," Felicity frowned.

"Why?" I asked her, letting myself into the apartment.

"Oliver," she answered. "And I should let you know now that if we're going to continue to be friend then you have to be open and honest with me."

I frowned. "Felicity, I don't speak your language."

Felicity grabbed the newspaper off the coffee table and threw it at me. One the front page was a pretty good image of Shade and the Hood from CCTV footage. "I'm not an idiot, River!" she snapped, throwing another photo at me. "I know you're her. I know you're Shade!"

**++++++ Cliffhanger! Hehe don't hate me ++++++**


	20. Chapter 20

**++++++ First of all I am so sorry that I haven't updated the past two evenings but I had my grandmother staying as she had surgery and needed someone to look after her. She got the shits when I tried to log on to post this chapter so I had to stop halfway through. I did a quick edit to see if I had any mistakes but if I missed anyone please forgive me. I hope you enjoy and I do not own Arrow, sadly ++++++**

**Twenty**

I stared at her.

The words were failing to come out of my mouth even though my mind was racing a million miles a minute. There were so many excuses running about in my head but none of them were making their way to my mouth.

A nervous laugh escaped me and I fiddled with the photo in my hands. "Ah-what are you talking about Felicity?"

Felicity crossed her arms. "I managed to get this in case you wanted to talk to the police about your attack," she told me, pointing to the photo in my hands. "I've seen the footage-you fight just like her. Are you the vigilante?"

I looked down at the photo and internally winced. There I was, in the middle of fighting off those guys who attacked Roy and in the newspaper picture I was doing the same thing. With Oliver's recent arrest, it must have been easy for Felicity to put two and two together. I scrunched the photo up and threw it across the apartment with a growl.

"_Yebat_!" I hissed, running my hands through my hair. "_Chertov sukin syn!_"

Felicity stepped back a little, the look on her face said that she was frightened I was going to lash out at her. "River-"

"Damn it!" I snapped. "Why, oh why, the bloody hell couldn't you just leave it alone?" I snapped. "No one was supposed to know! No one was ever supposed to know!"

"That you and Oliver are the Hood and Shade?" Felicity finally asked. "That you're both the vigilantes?" She stared at me for a while, studying every inch of me before gulping. "I promise I won't tell anyone…of course no one would believe me anyway…seriously…a lowly IT girl…you'd probably kill me," Felicity joked.

I raised an eyebrow at her.

She gulped again. "I didn't mean-not that I want you to kill me-thank god you guys don't kill innocent people now…right?"

I continued to stare at her. If I had x-ray vision, I was pretty sure I'd be able to see her heart beat a miles a minute. "What do you want from me Felicity?"

"Just say it," Felicity answered. "I know it's you, River, but you need to say it. We're supposed to be friends and yeah I get that friends have secrets but your secrets can get me killed unless you tell me the truth. I deserve to know what I'm getting myself into."

"OKAY!"I shouted. "OKAY! FINE! _YEBAT_! OKAY! I'M SHADE! I'M THE VIGILANTE PARTNER OF THE HOOD! ARE YOU HAPPY!"

Felicity's face lit up. "Oh my god does that mean that Oliver is the Hood? The news is right aren't they?"

I raised an eyebrow. I expected her to run and freak out by now…or at least call the police…or the military. "Felicity…why aren't you running? Or at least calling the police? With what you've got that should at least put me under constant surveillance. Or in the nut house."

"A lot has changed in Starling City since you left it," Felicity answered. "Bad things are happening to this city and since you guys have been active, crime has gone down."

My eyebrow stayed up. "What do you want? You're looking at me as though you want something."

"I want to help," Felicity answered.

I snorted. "Yeah-like Oliver would let that happen. He's such a pretentious ass. He has a plan to get the cops off his tail but didn't tell me. He brought someone else in on what we were doing and didn't tell me."

Felicity looked at me smugly. "I knew it!" she grinned, jumping a little.

I shot her a glare.

She bit her bottom lip. "Sorry." Felicity sat down on her couch, directing me to sit down with her. "I can help you-with research and everything. All you have to do is bring it to me and I'll sort it out. Find what you need. Oliver doesn't have to know. I'm the go-girl for IT."

"Olive is going to kill me," I groaned.

"Like I said, Oliver doesn't have to know," Felicity repeated. "I'm not gonna tell anyone about you-I promise."

I crossed my arms. "No you won't. Because I'd have to kill you."

Felicity's jaw dropped. "River-oh my-River-"

I started giggling at the look on her face. "Couldn't help it! You got a beer or something in this place?"

Felicity raised an eyebrow. "You're underage."

"Thanks mum," I smirked, sticking my tongue out at her. I glanced over at her sitting on the couch. "Do you have some clothes I could borrow? I wanna take you somewhere. I don't want to go there wearing a $1500 dress."

Felicity jumped up off the lounge and disappeared into her bedroom. She came out a couple minutes later with some jeans and a faded ACDC shirt as well as some boots. "I don't know if the boots will fit but give them a try-listen-you're not taking me somewhere to kill me-are you?"

I took the clothes off her with a laugh. "No, Felicity. Vigilante's honour." She stared at me as I disappeared into the bedroom to change. When I came out, I was pulling the shirt on and noticed the IT girl staring at the hicky on my neck along with the bite marks. "Yeah?"

"What the heck happened to you?" she asked me as we headed out of the apartment.

I grinned. "You remember that guy I helped in the alley?"

Felicity nodded. "Yeah. I do." Her eyes widened. "Oh-you slept with him, didn't you?"

I chuckled. "I wouldn't call it sleeping but yeah."

"So is having a boyfriend like a cover for you?" she questioned.

I raised an eyebrow. "I wouldn't call him a boyfriend. We fucked once. Can you imagine me having to explain where I disappear to at night? Yeah I've said yes to that hostess position when Oliver finally opens his club but still-having to come up with the lies-I mean, the guy that is that Batman in Gotham City-he probably doesn't have a girlfriend but a string of them. You can't have a social life when you do what we do."

Instead of going to the garage, the two of us hailed a taxi and I paid it to take us to the Glades. I couldn't see or feel any cops following us so when the driver dropped us off in Roy's neighborhood, I led Felicity down some complicated alley's until we were at the Foundry.

"This is the old Queen factory," Felicity pointed out before I jumped over the fence. She gaped at me when I landed on my feet like a cat than pulled the gate open so that she could come in. "Wow-you have got to teach me that some time."

I chuckled. "Parkour, Felicity. I didn't pick that up from the island. That I already knew."

"So did you guys set up your headquarters here?" she asked.

I nodded but stayed silent as I took the IT girl into the lair.

She was just as silent as I fiddled around with the generator, turning all the lights on. Felicity's jaw dropped when the light came on in the lair. I watched her eyes trail over everything from the computers to the salmon ladder and the arrows embedded in the concrete wall.

"So," I asked Felicity as she picked up one of my throwing knives, "you still wanna help? Cause this is no walk in the park."

Felicity nodded. "I can piggy back my computer to your system so I know everything you do and help from the side. We'll have to get a secondary coms system but-" she gulped. "Yes…I still want to help."

I grinned and held my hand out to her.

Felicity eagerly grabbed my hand.

"Welcome to the team."

**Translations according to Google Translate **

**_Yebat - _****Fuck**

**_Chertov sukin syn_****- Goddamn son of a bitch**


	21. Chapter 21

**++++++ First things first, I want to apologize about the lack of updates this week. I had my grandmother staying after her surgery and she would flip a shit every time I tried to turn the laptop on and type. And being the dutiful granddaughter I let it slid. I'm glad to be missed and even happier to be back! I hope you all enjoy this chapter ++++++**

**Twenty-One**

"_So what do you think, Miss Quinn?" Fyers asked, tearing my gaze away from the young Asian woman that was tied up on the floor of the tent. "Most would be appalled by the fact that I've seen fit to use a child against her father."_

_I shrugged. "Not my problem. It helped you with Yao Fei, didn't it? He's working with you-doing what I don't know but don't really care either." I picked up the first aid kit from the table next to me and tossed it over to him, almost hitting him in the face. "You look like shit, clean yourself up."_

_He smirked a little. "Amazing…your attitude is simply remarkable, Miss Quinn. Do you mind?" Fyers smirked, holding it out. _

_I rolled my eyes and marched over to him, I grabbed underneath his chin and smirked. "You've got medics for that, Fyers. Do I look like a medic?"_

_"__You do not," he replied. "But you will do as you're told."_

_"__Cause that worked so well for my mother," I snorted. I grabbed my jacket and knives, "I'll get you a medic." I walked out of the tent and whistled a mercenary over to me. "Fyers wants a medic. ASAP."_

_He nodded at me and ran off to the medical tent. _

_Now that Yao Fei had been captured by Wintergreen, there was only Oliver left to worry about. I was torn between what I should do. Should I help Oliver or stay this current course until Fyers gets bored with me and slits my throat in my sleep. _

_What would my father have done?_

_Probably lectured me and then grounded me but he's dead. _

_And I'm stuck on an island. _

_I shook my head with a growl, pushing those thoughts to the back of my head. "Hey! Wintergreen!" I shouted, spotting him on the opposite side of the camp. _

_He glanced up at me-for a split second I actually wondered what he looked like under that mask and if he slept with it one. _

_"__New lesson today," I told him, marching across the compound. "You're gonna teach me how to drive."_

* * *

"Shouldn't you be at the Queen mansion getting ready for that big party?" Felicity questioned, staring at me as I sharpened my sias.

I snorted. "I think Oliver and I were better people trapped on an island than we are in the city. He doesn't trust me even though he says he does." I threw my legs over the edge of the table I was sitting on and sat the weapon beside me. "So-we should move in together."

Felicity raised an eyebrow at me. "Come again?"

I shrugged. "I think I've outstayed my welcome at the Queen mansion, what with Oliver under suspicion and all. I could use a fresh start without relying on anyone. And since you've agreed to become my awesome blonde, tech queen we should move in together."

Felicity looked around the lair. "I think you should look for a new lair too," she instructed. She turned the computer screen around and tapped the monitor. "What do you think? It's abandoned and we could syphon power without being noticed. There is also a great apartment nearby."

I slipped off the table and walked barefoot over to the computers. Felicity was showing me an abandoned clock tower in the middle of the city. I grinned. "It's perfect-we could call it the Watchtower."

"Catchy," Felicity grinned. "Better than the lair. Sounds way less supervillain like. Although how you're gonna be able to split your time between working for Oliver and being a vigilante as well as having your own lair has me stumped. And the computer equipment that we'll need will definitely get some attention."

I flashed a grin.

"And you have a plan," Felicity nodded. "Of course you do."

"Alexi Leonov of the Solntsevskaya Bratva," I replied.

Felicity blinked. "The Bratva? You're associated with Russian gangsters?"

I grinned. "Yeah, Oliver and I are captains-one of the highest ranks you can get." I pulled down my pants a little to show Felicity the star tattoo on my pelvis. "When you save the life of their organizations leader-they tend to be incredibly grateful."

Felicity frowned. "You're like an iceberg. You see a bit on the top but what's underneath is amazingly complex."

"And enough to sink a ship," I grinned, thinking back to the _Amazo_. "I can get them to deliver the computers to the docks, using cash and then I'll get someone to pick up the truck and deliver it to a third location where we'll take it from there. Simple. But regarding Oliver-you are right. I do need to figure out a way to split my time."

"Take a look at this place," Felicity spoke, changing the subject.

I scrolled through the screen and smiled. The apartment had three bedrooms, adjoining bathrooms and was closer to the Watchtower and Queen Consolidated-I had enough for a deposit than we could work out the rest. "Never had my own place before. It'll be nice to own something."

"My place won't take long to sell," she assured me. "Are you sure that moving in won't be a problem?"

I shrugged. "Who cares? I gave up caring what people think of me a long time ago." I glanced at my watch and sighed. "Mind if I crash at your place tonight? I don't want to go to the party."

Felicity nodded. "I've no problem with that," she assured me. "I'll start writing the program to piggy back onto Oliver's system when I get home. It should take a few days but I'll get it done. Also, I'll digitalise the List you showed me earlier, start collecting information on the individuals on it if you like."

I wrapped my arms around her shoulders and gave a squeeze. "You're the best! I knew there had to be a better way at sorting out these guys." I leant back up against the table and rubbed my head. "There's something that bothers me but I haven't brought it up with Oliver because I don't know what he'll say."

"Which is?" she questioned.

"I don't think the List was written by Robert," I confessed. "And then there is this Undertaking that was being spoken of…this has me worried."

Felicity raised an eyebrow. "Okay-that sounds supervillain-like."

I shrugged and nodded. "Yeah-that's why it's got me worried. Once we've set this up-I want to research into the finances of the people we've already taken down. Whatever is happening needs money and these guys on the List are big time money players."

"Eye, eye captain," she grinned.

I patted her on the shoulder. "Awesome. Thanks, hun. I'm gonna call about that place to buy-set up a viewing if I can. Let's get back to your place." When Felicity stood up, I grabbed a hold of her waist and made her stay still.

"Ah-what are you doing?" Felicity frowned.

"Testing your centre," I answered, looking her over. "Your core body strength. It could use some improvement but totally be done."

"What can be done?" she asked.

"Train you," I answered nonchalantly. "I'm gonna need some backup at some point. Not for a while yet, but at some point."

"I don't think that's a good idea," Felicity blurted out. "River-"

"Only when you're ready," I assured her. "Now clear all that data than we can go get a hotdog. I'm starving and I haven't had one since before the island."

Felicity cleared the history and grabbed her bag before coming out with me.

"I'm thinking blue," I grinned.

She cocked an eyebrow. "Blue? What for?"

"Your costume," I answered. "Dark blue leather, it'll look awesome. Trust me."

"You scare me," Felicity grinned.

"Oh, hotdogs!" I grinned, seeing the vendor across the street and the familiar smell.

**++++++ I stole Sara's base-oops, my bad. I thought it would work better for Felicity and River. I love the name the Watchtower which obviously was stolen from the Justice League. And blue is an awesome colour for Felicity. I also have an idea as to when River will split from Oliver and what will be the catalist that causes it. This will happen in the next four or five chapters but they will obviously become partners again but stand alone as well. **

**I was thinking during my absence about the time between the Undertaking and when Oliver comes back to Starling City. What do you think River should do? Should she stay in Starling or should she travel to another superhero City? Gotham? Metropolis? **

**And last but not least - Felicity's name. **

**Let me know ++++++**


	22. Chapter 22

**++++++ I do not own Arrow-sucks but I don't. Please enjoy ++++++**

**Twenty-Two**

I slipped out of Felicity's around eleven that night. Completely restless and somewhat bored as the IT girl wrote up some kind of computer code, I decided to give Shade a run. Felicity agreed to be an alibi if the police came around and asked. Honestly, I'd found a true friend in that girl and was glad to be able to spill my secrets to her so easily.

I'd told her about Wintergreen, Fyers, Slade-I told her everything. The best part was that she didn't seem fazed about it at all. She hadn't broached the subject on me training her yet but I could see the cogs in her mind thinking about it. Felicity at least had the choice I never had.

I had no particular target in mind this evening-even if Oliver wasn't going to tell me his plan, I wanted to help in any way I could. Having Shade go out on patrol and knock out a few bad guys that weren't one percenters could distance the Hood-Shade relationship in the cops eyes.

I grinned to myself as I stared down at the street below me. Tonight I was 'hunting' just outside the Glades. There were a couple of banks here, a pawnshop, some burger joints and Thai places but the street was empty as hell-if I had my bearings right-CNRI was around here somewhere too. This close to the Glades, the pawn shop and the banks would be goldmines.

My legs swung over the edge of the building in a somewhat childish manner and just watched the street below me. Sure enough, around one in the morning, I could hear laughing at the end of the street followed by shadows. I flicked a strand of the wig out of my face and stared down at the group that was coming down the middle of the road. They were each dressed in black and wore a brightly coloured clown wig with a clown mask. I shuddered internally, I fucking hate clowns.

My right hand hovered over my sai as I watched them.

They held no worry when the guy in the sad-face mask picked up a trash can and threw it through the window, setting off the alarm. He jumped through the window of the pawn shop and yelled for the guy in the angry mask to throw him the bag before coming in himself. Angry mask was followed by happy mask than the last guy who looked like IT from Stephen King's IT.

I jumped off the edge of the building and landed on the balcony below, swinging over the ledge I hit the grate before landing on the ground behind IT. "_Criminals used to be so much more refined back in the day_," I yawned, catching his attention.

IT spun around, pulling a gun out of his jacket.

I delivered a spinning kick to his hand, knocking the gun out of the way before delivering another kick to his chest, sending him straight through the window. "_Hmmmm_," I grinned, jumping through the window. "_Did I ever tell you I fucking hate clowns?_" I asked, kicking IT in the face, breaking his nose and knocking him out cold.

The rest of it happened in a flash.

Guns were drawn and I grabbed IT's unconscious body, using him as a shield until they needed to reload. When there was only the smell of gunpowder and iron with deathly silence, I dropped the body with a feral grin. "_My turn_."

I drew my sais, lashing out and slitting the throat of sad face before stabbing his angry face twice in the chest, smashing his knee cap in the process. He collapsed on the ground, shouting in pain and vowing to kill me in my sleep, I knelt down and patted him on the head before slitting his throat.

When I got to my feet, I noticed happy face climbing through the window.

I smirked. "_Why run? Just makes it more fun that way, I guess._" I jumped out the window and threw a knife at him, hitting him square in the back of the neck. His limbs flailed everywhere and he just collapsed. As I retrieved my knife, something red flashed in the corner of my eye and when I turned, I ducked, lucky enough to escape almost getting punched in the face.

My body rolled along the ground and I got up, ready to kill the bastard that had just attacked me when I realised it was Roy.

I laughed. "_Well…first amateur criminals and now a sexy piece of ass thinks he can take me?_" I won't lie, it'll be a little fun to get him riled up.

His blue eyes bore into me. "Who are you?"

I laughed again.

"What's so funny?" he growled, hearing sirens in the distance.

"_I'm merely laughing at the idea of asking a masked vigilante who they are_," I grinned.

Roy swung a fist out at me and I ducked it.

"_Duck, duck, duck_," I grinned with each swing. "_Goose!_" I laughed, hitting him in the kidney.

Roy stumbled back a little.

As the sounds of the sirens grew closer, I grabbed the hood and pulled him into an alley way. "_See, buddy. I can get away from the cops, you? You're at the scene, they'd arrest you in seconds. Despite the fact you tried to hit a lady, I thought it nice to save you from being some guys bitch_."

He lashed out at me again but I moved out of the way just in time. "You're a murderer!"

I rolled my eyes. "_Yes, because I simply woke up one morning and decided I was going to kill people. Perhaps you could lay me out on a couch and listen to my ramblings, doctor?_" I took a step towards him. "_Hmmmm_," I hummed, "_perhaps you could lay me out on a couch and fuck me…_" again, "_…a boy with those eyes…mmm_…"

I grabbed his chin and pulled him into a kiss, immediately forcing his lips open so I could taste him. He's been at the bar-that bitter taste of whisky was on his breath, whisky and something sweet. I laughed when I pulled away. "_What could I do with you? Hmmm…wouldn't couldn't I do with you? Later, gorgeous_." I pulled back into the shadows before scaling the wall of the alley.

I had a grin plastered on my face the whole way back to Felicity's place.  
She was still working on that code when I climbed through the kitchen window, not taking any bother of me when I pulled the mask and wig off before my suit. I'd just hidden the suit and weapons under the bed as well as removing my makeup before slumping down on the couch to watch TV when the doorbell rang.

"I'll grab it," Felicity told me, jumping up from her computer. She went to the door and opened it, finding Detective Lance and Peter standing there. "River!" she shouted.

I glanced up from the TV-police-so fucking predictable it hurts.

The detective's let themselves in and sat across from me on the couch.

"Have you been here all evening?" Detective Lance asked me, not even apologising for interrupting our evening.

I looked at him as if to say duh. "Yup. I have. Ask F, she's been here all night."

Felicity cross her arms and nodded, not bothering to shut the door and let them make themselves at home. "She's been here all night, apart from when she got up to go take a shower. Any more questions? Cause it's late and I have to work tomorrow."

Peter glanced at me. "Shade attacked and killed some men tonight."

I raised an eyebrow. "It wasn't on the TV."

"These were common street criminals," he replied. "The Hood wasn't with her. The chief thinks they're not working together. Since they haven't been seen together since their third victim."

I yawned. "Anything else? I'm tired."

Lance shook his head.

"Good," I shrugged. "Now piss off."

The two men got up, they cast a glance at me before walking out of the apartment.

I looked up at Felicity when she shut the door. "Last chance to get out?"

"Not likely," she answered, going back to her computer.

I grinned.

I loved having a friend like her.


	23. Chapter 23

**++++++ I wanted to apologize for the lack of updates as I was in hospital for high blood pressure relating to pregnancy. My BP is good, I'm on meds, they said its a combination of work stress and being pregnant-high BP in first time mums is a common thing apparently. **

**I just got home this afternoon and after catching up on sleep and spending some time with my husband, I decided to write up a chapter for you all. **

**Hope you like ++++++**

**Twenty-Three**

One week and two incredibly long shopping trips later, Felicity Smoak and I stood in the entrance way to our new apartment arguing about where to put the lounge that had just been delivered. Charlie Allan had pushed the contract through for us so we didn't have to wait the month to move into the empty apartment. Everything was coming up perfect, the tech we needed for the Watchtower had been delivered yesterday and Felicity had ordered me some new weapons through a shell corporation as well as a second suit to store if I needed it.

Oliver had started the building of his night club, the two of us had spent a few days going over designs with some interior designers as well as looking for DJ's on opening night. The heir to the Queen fortune had been released from suspicion of being the Hood when Diggle went out dressed as the vigilante the night of Oliver's party. The police had left me alone after words from Charlie Allan who I had hired to be my lawyer if I ever needed one.

I couldn't say that Oliver was happy with the idea of me moving out nor was my mother but after a hefty argument and a quick beat on in the lair, Oliver knew he couldn't stop me from pursuing my own path. I felt sorry for Diggle having to watch us go at each other, poor guy looked like he was ready to call the cops to stop us from fighting.

Everything had returned to normal-well, as normal as our lives could possibly be.

The Hood and Shade had returned to the List, our newest target was Frank Bertinelli, a heavy hitter in the Starling City crime family. He was the supposed CEO of Bertinelli Constructions and he wanted the building contract for Queen Consolidated's Applied Sciences Division.

As Felicity and I were arguing over what shade of blue paint would look good with the charcoal lounge suit that had just been brought, my phone started to ring. When I looked at the caller ID, I grumbled when I saw it was Oliver. That was like the millionth time he'd called today when I specifically told him I would be unavailable. The two of us had spent most of the day directing the delivery guys on where to put our new bedroom suits or the bookcases-pretty much anything heavy-and going through wine like there was no tomorrow whilst listening to music I was still catching up on.

"Are you gonna get that?" Felicity asked me.

I hit the reject button and put my phone on top of the TV. "Nope-busy. So what about this blue?" I asked, holding up a paint sample of royal blue.

Felicity rolled her eyes. "No, TARDIS blue is out of the question. It won't go good with the lounge colour nor the coffee table or TV cabinet-we need something like a dark pastel blue." She looked around at all our new furniture and shook her head. "There is a lot of black furniture in this apartment."

"Says you, all my stuff is white," I muttered underneath my breath.

Felicity punched me in the arm. "Jerk."

"Ouch!" I exclaimed in mock horror. "That hurt!"

"Did not," she retorted back at me. "You can take a beating from street thugs and the punch of an IT girl hurts you-perhaps you should quit your night job."

I wrapped my arm around her neck and messed up her hair with a grin on my face. "Pick a colour already, F. I want to go sort out the Watchtower. We've got computer stuff all over the place."

Felicity rolled her eyes at me again and smoothed her hair over. "So," she said, with the 'I'm going to change the subject' tone of voice, "I've been thinking about your offer to train me."

My eyes lit up. "Really?"

She nodded. "Yup. Still want to give it a go?"

I grinned and hugged her. "Oh I'm gonna be such a drill sergeant!" I giggled.

"This one!" the IT girl practically shouted, holding a colour sample in her hands.

I snatched it off her. "Lobelia?" I asked, eyebrow raised. I sighed. "Ok-call the hardware store and ask for a couple cans. You can pick them up tomorrow on the way home from work. We can do the painting this weekend."

My phone started ringing again.

"Oliver," Felicity read out.

I rolled my eyes and went to grab the phone but Felicity beat me to it. With a grin, she answered it. "River's phone, Felicity speaking."

I threw my paint samples at her.

She grinned. "Sure, Oliver. Here she is."

I snatched the phone off her and stuck my tongue out. "Sorry Oliver-we were picking out paint samples-didn't see the phone."

"_I need you at the lair, now,_" Oliver practically shouted over the phone. "_Someone tried to kill one of Queen Consolidated's employees, a man by the name of Paul Copani. He has connections to Frank Bertinelli. Paul is the third person to be killed in connection to Bertinelli._"

I sighed. "Sure, Ollie. I'll be there in twenty." I hung up and explained the situation to Felicity before getting a raincheck on our decorating day. She was eager to let me go, telling me that she'd find what she could before sending it to me.

I got to the lair, ten minutes later where Oliver handed me an expensive looking red dress and matching shoes with a bag. I raised an eyebrow. "Thanks Oliver but I don't need more clothes-hang on-are you actually Oliver or did you and Thea parent trap each other?"

Diggle snorted.

I grinned.

Oliver rolled his eyes. "No. This is for you to wear to come to my meeting tonight."

"I came to kick ass, not be your assistant," I reminded him.

"Undercover work helps to," Oliver told me. "Just go get changed."

I went to go change but as I did, I turned and threw a heel, hitting Oliver in the head.

"River!" he snapped.

I laughed and tossed my clothes off over the barrier, hoping I'd hit him before getting into the dress. "Man, I could kill someone in these heels," I grumbled looking at them. "You're so lucky I shaved this morning, Oliver Richard Queen."

"Oh the middle name," Diggle chuckled. "You're in trouble."

I looked through the bag and found a brush, running it through my hair before applying light makeup and stepping out to see if Oliver approved. "We good?" I asked him.

Oliver nodded. "Acceptable." He handed me the other heel. "I've set up a meeting with Frank Bertinelli. See what we can get from him. What I want from you is to observe. You can do what I can't whilst I speak with Frank. Okay?"

"I'm a little too drunk for this," I warned him. "Didn't think I was getting a call out so F and I were sorting out paint and drinking."

Oliver sighed. "I really wish you hadn't moved out."

I raised an eyebrow. "Diggle, put the police on speed dial so I can kick his ass."

Diggle chuckled. "I am not getting in between you two. That's dangerous. I like living."

"The meeting's in half an hour," Oliver told me. "Bertinelli is meeting us at his estate. Come one."

I sighed and followed him up the stairs.

Time to play assistant.

Undercover work sucks.

**++++++ I hope you liked it, it was a filler chapter but it was needed. In the next couple of chapters we will see River and Oliver argue and her split from Team Arrow. **

**Due to popular demand, River will be going to Gotham City-I've decided it will be in the time that Oliver goes back to the island after the Undertaking and Tommy's death. **

**Whilst I was in hospital I wrote down a few ideas like when Roy will find out about River being Shade and when Oliver will find out about Felicity knowing he's the Hood. And the ensuing fight between Shade and the Hood when he finds out Felicity is working with her in the Watchtower. Should be good ++++++**


	24. Chapter 24

**++++++ WinterRain36 - I am loving the idea of Felicity in a red wig. That's kinda hot. I'd already decided to use the katana as a weapon, being a blade it would be easier for River to teach her. I like both Cyber and Cypher as a name, hard to choose. **

** Kindleflame5 - River will show Felicity some of Oliver's weaknesses, especially when they split which will be heaps soon - like next two chapters soon. **

**I hope you all like this chapter, It's got some lemons but I think ends off in a sweet kind of way - well for me it does anyway. **

**Standard dislaimer ++++++**

**Twenty-Four**

I stood there like the good little fake assistant and listened to everything that was being said between Oliver and Frank Bertinelli. I could pick out the business conversation as well as the distinct stench of alpha male pheromones drifting all over the place. Frank's right hand man, Nick Salvati kept on staring at me like I was a piece of meat as well as a threat, warriors have a tendency to be able to spot other warriors. There was a lot of blood on that man's hands-but who am I to judge? There is a lot of blood on my hands as well.

Their little pissing match was interrupted by a woman around the same age as Oliver with straight black hair and eyes that bore right into you. I shifted a little when I saw her, this was an alpha female alright. There was blood on her hands too.

Question is-in what capacity?

Choosing to ditch me for a dinner/business meeting with Frank's daughter, Helena, I found myself in a taxi heading back to the lair. I was furious, spending the next couple of hours breaking the dummies that we had in the lair and leaving before Oliver and Diggle came back.

I didn't go back to the apartment, instead, choosing to head to the Glades and see if Roy was home. My phone rang several times-all Oliver. I guess he didn't realize how annoyed at him I was. He pulled me from my day off to play his assistant and then ditched me to go out on a date with a pair of legs.

I bashed my fist up against the door, waiting for someone to answer.

When no one answered, I went to bash on the door again only for it to be wrenched open and for me to almost punch Roy in the face.

"What are you doing here?" he grumbled.

"I was in the neighborhood," I shrugged. "And instead of beating the crap out of some pour random sod cause I'm pissed off at fucking Oliver Queen, I thought I'd come here and have aggressively random sex with a hot guy."

Roy held his arm out. "Don't objectify me, River."

I raised an eyebrow. "Fuck you, Roy," I growled and pushed him back inside before letting myself in. I grabbed Roy and pushed Roy up against the door before I started to loosen his belt so that I was able to get to his zipper as I knelt down. I could almost hear him frown.

"Ah- River -what-what are you doing?"

I freed his long length out of his jeans, pausing for just a second before I ran a tongue up the leathery shaft. Closing my eyes, in my left hand I gripped the shaft and stroked up and down as my right hand pulled down my own jeans and I slipped my hand in past the black panties I was wearing. I licked the head tentatively, getting used to the taste whilst moving my head from side to side.

Roy groaned. He seemed to slump back more in the door-if he could have melted into it altogether it was most likely that he would.

I took just the tip into my mouth, swirling my tongue around before pushing myself forward to take more and more of him whilst I sucked just that little bit harder, all the while, my own hand continue to stroke up and down. His hands ran through my tangled mass of ebony black curls and grabbed a chuck of my hair to steady himself as if he would fall. My stomach flipped and I increased the pressure as I continued stroking myself, almost inhuman moans coming from my own mouth.

It took a few attempts but I was able to take more into my mouth until my body gagged just a little. I moaned even louder and Roy bucked his hips forward, his own guttural sounds coming from his mouth.

"River," he gasped. "Don't-don't stop."

I smirked and tightened my lips around his shaft at the same time I tightened the grip of my hand, quickening the pace. It was so intense that my ears were ringing.

Eventually my hand around the base of his cock stopped moving, my head bobbing up and down, Roy's grip on my head was pulling hair from my scalp. It should have put me off but there was too much going on with my body at the one time, I was so wet.

Roy bucked his hips again, pushing the head of his cock almost up the back of my throat. The male in him was starting to get out of control but in a good way.

I could feel the very edge of my own orgasm so I licked, nipped and sucked harder and faster.

"River -I'm going to come," Roy gasped, loosening his grip on my hair so that I could pull away.

But I didn't.

I continued with my movements whilst struggling to bring fireworks to us both. Heat shot up from in between my legs and I squeezed my thighs together as my orgasm tore its way through my body.

His orgasm came soon after mine.

Roy bucked his hips forward one last time, his hands found their way back to my hair, pulling my head down until his hairs were tickling my nose. He gritted his teeth and yelled out at the same time he exploded into my mouth.

I closed my eyes and eagerly drank it all, the taste wasn't too bad. I pealed myself away and stood up, ignoring the protest of my knees. I had a sinful smirk on my face as I licked my lips, the taste of him in my mouth made my body twitch in all the right kind of ways.

Roy shook his head and stared down at me before he slid down against the door until he hit the floor. "I'd ask but I'm not even going to."

I chuckled and grinned, leaning against the door beside him. "Just sick of being second fiddle to Oliver Queen, I needed an outlet. Is that a problem?"

Roy shrugged. "Being used by an extremely hot chick? I could get used to it."

I laughed. "Hot? Damaged more like it."

The two of us sat there in pure silence before he spoke again. "You should go out with me."

I turned to look at him. "Say again?"

"You heard me," he snorted.

"You're asking me out on a date?" I asked him.

Roy shrugged. "I'm not sure what you rich girls are into-"

I flicked his ear. "I'm used to running for my life on an island that the Chinese government uses as a place to store its most dangerous criminals."

Roy paused. "I thought you and Queen said that you were alone on the island?"

I shook my head. "Nope. I spent my first year as a guest of a mercenary called Edward Fyers and his psychotic pet, ex-Australian Secret Intelligence Service. Hence some of the scars." I sighed and stared up at the roof. "Why would you want to date me? Why would you want to date someone who was tortured by her captors? I'm not exactly girlfriend material."

Roy cupped my face and gently kissed me. There was none of that rough, wild sort of stuff, just a soft kiss.

I blushed when he pulled away.

"River-will you go out on a date with me?" he asked me. "I can't exactly give you something grand but I'd like to get to know you."

I think by this point the blush was all over my face. "There's a lot of baggage with dating someone like me. I warn you."

"Don't care," he shot back. "Come on River."

I buried my face in his shoulder and smiled. "Okay. We can only give it a shot. Of course I'll go on a date with you." I was grinning like an idiot when I said it, turns out the day hadn't ended so bad after all.

**++++++ So, yes, no? I thought it was sweet and cute ++++++**


	25. Chapter 25

**++++++ Sorry I didn't post last night, I wasn't feeling up to par and very tired. Excuses, I know, sorry. **

**Highlander348, WinterRain36, Kindleflame5 - you rock my world when I get up in the morning and see I've been reviewed by usually all three of you. My invisible hat off to you! **

**Now, enjoy this chapter full of characters to which I still do not own ++++++**

**Twenty-Five**

Somehow I don't think Felicity is too happy with me right now.

When I told her that I was going to be the worst drill sergeant I guess she thought I was lying. Now she knows I wasn't. I woke her up at four the next morning and dragged her skinny ass to the Watchtower for her first training session. I found it slightly funny that she was sending me death glares as she rushed to get ready for work.

Her first training session when pretty well, I had the IT girl doing a series of sit ups, chin ups and spent an hour and a half trying to sort out her balance whilst I played with ideas for her costume and looks. It was nice to get my mind off Oliver and a distraction away from the fact that I now had a boyfriend. Gee-moving out of the mansion and finding myself a boyfriend-damn.

Rebel.

I chuckled at the thought.

Diggle called me as I was leaving the Watchtower, letting me know that Oliver wanted me suited up and following Helena Bertinielli. She had been the one that had almost killed his mother but instead of taking her down like we would a normal criminal-Oliver let her go. He was convinced that Helena had to have a good reason for targeting her family.

Sounded to me like the girl was trying to start a mob war-Diggle agreed.

I was tempted to tell Oliver to shove it and take a go at the List but Diggle had a way of keeping the peace between us. So, after catching up on some sleep and sending various ridiculous texts to Roy-whom I now had a date with the following night, I went to the lair and suited up.

"Is something wrong, River?" Oliver asked me as I practically threw my weapons around.

"Yeah," I growled. "Why don't you just kill the bitch and be done with it?" I snapped.

"You mean Helena?" he asked me with that calm tone that made me want to throttle him.

"No, the Queen!" I snapped. "Of course I meant Helena!"

"River, you don't understand," Oliver shot back. "Just do what I asked you and tell me if you find anything out of the ordinary."

I snorted. "You mean my knife in her back? Cause that's out of the ordinary if you ask me."

Oliver glared at me. "River, just do as I ask you, this once. And don't argue with me. Just watch, I don't want anyone dead tonight."

I snatched my mask and wig off the table and stuck my finger up at him. "Fuck you Queen." I pulled them on and turned back to him. "I have a date tomorrow night so if you call me to babysit I will burn the mansion to the ground," I warned him with my best cold smirk.

"Thank you, River," Oliver smiled.

I left, making my way to the Bertinelli mansion where I sat watching the mobster heiress until she up and left. As I tailed her through the city, I noticed that Oliver was also following her as Oliver Queen and not as the Hood.

Helena and Oliver went to a nearby church and seemed to talk until a black van pulled up and Nick Salvati got out, guns at the ready.

I raised an eyebrow and dialled Felicity.

"_Where are you?_" she asked, answering without the niceties.

"Track my cell," I answered. "Actually, track the cell of Nick Salvati. I want to know where he's going. He's captured Oliver and Helena."

"_Well go rescue them_," Felicity urged me.

"Oliver said no one dies tonight, and that I was simply watching," I snorted. "I'm gonna give boy wonder there a taste of his own medicine."

Felicity snorted at the other end. "_Shade, you two are partners-you should rescue him_."

I shook my head. "Nope, I'm more like his sidekick, Cypher. You and me, we'll be a team I assure you."

"_Cypher?_" she asked me. "_Hmm…I like it. And I ache like a bitch, Shade. You weren't kidding when you said you were going to be a drill sergeant-I have the ping on the phone by the way._"

"Keep following it," I ordered her. "When they stop, call the cops and tell them what's going on. Oliver can sort himself out."

"_Are you sure_?" Felicity questioned.

"Yup," I replied, popping the 'P'.

She sighed. "_Okay. See you at the Watchtower_."

I hung up and climbed down the side of the church.

I was only following orders.

* * *

Oliver hadn't been too thrilled with me not opting to jump in and getting the police involved. He and Helena had less than two minutes to make an escape before SWAT stormed the building. He'd called once he and Helena were free and clear, demanding I get myself to the lair.

Oliver needed to learn that I was his equal, not his sidekick.

I'm no Robin to his Batman.

Or Nightwing, whatever the sidekick of the Dynamic Duo calls himself these days.

I headed back to the Watchtower to see what Felicity had been up to whilst I was gone.

She'd pulled down a lot of the plastic that had been hanging all over the place and set up various tables with computers all over the place. There were several clear plastic cases littered about the place housing various weapons and one with a dummy inside for my costume. I raised an eyebrow when I saw extra wigs in a box beside the dummy case and some more masks which made me laugh. There was a section cordoned off for training, a bay set up for medical emergencies, a fridge, two portable cot beds, a chest of drawers that looked suspiciously like they were from Ikea and surprisingly-a cabinet full of liquor.

"If we have to move this is gonna be a bitch," I warned Felicity as she was bent over a container untangling wires.

Felicity got up and turned around, clearly looking flustered. "Which is why I used the shell corporation to buy the building."

I started unbuckling the various straps on my suit. "So what's this corporation called if I own it?"

"Kōngxū," she answered. "It means-"

"Void in Chinese," I cut her off. "Yeah, I know."

"I invested some of your money into stocks at Wayne Enterprises," Felicity rattled on. "And some in the Daily Planet-"

"You've listed the places in the world that have vigilantes working for them," I mused.

"You've already made over a million dollars today," the IT queen pointed out.

I grinned. "You are amazing, F. I think I should hire you as my personal IT girl."

Felicity snorted. "You can't afford me."

"So we've all this space downstairs than," I frowned, "perhaps we should open a shop or something? Saves me having to work for control freak and you could come work for me?" I suggested, pulling my leather top off and tossing it on the table.

Felicity rolled her eyes and picked the corset up to put on the dummy. "I got this thing for a reason, River."

I grinned. "Hey, did you check out the suit?" I asked her, changing the subject.

"I did," she nodded, "and I made a few adjustments but it's gonna take me months before I can road test it."

I shrugged. "I know, F. It's gonna take you a while to get used to the idea, you're in no way ready to be jumping off buildings-years of training will need to be put into that, but the field tech support will come in handy."

"So what kind of shop are you looking at opening?" Felicity asked me. "This does mean that you can't work with Oliver anymore, you know that?"

I nodded. "It's time for a split anyway. He knows Helena Bertinelli is a murderer-she almost killed his mother but he's convinced that she has her reasons." I groaned and pulled of my boots and pants before handing them to Felicity. I glanced down at the scar on my hand where I had promised to be there for Oliver.

Felicity's hand covered mine. "You're not a child, River. Promise or no, you can't let him lord over you. I mean it. You're your own person. You've got a home, a boyfriend, an amazing flatmate-" I snorted and she grinned, "-you're not Oliver Queen's personal assistant. You're River Quinn, daughter of Daniel Quinn and Ella Wilson. Your father worked for Robert Queen, your mother works for Malcom Merlyn. You shouldn't have to work for anyone. Do what you want to do."

In an odd way…Felicity was right…

I don't know what to do…

What should I do…?

**++++++ Sorry this isn't formatted like usual, it's doing weird stuff to me tonight. This is the second time I've had to upload this chapter. **

**WinterRain36 - Thank you for suggesting Cypher. I love it! **

**Now - what kind of business should these girls open? Nothing obvious like a dojo or a weapons store - I'm thinking a store that has multiple aspects to it and doesn't just do one thing. I have one idea in mind but I'd like it to specialize in a couple different things. And it has to be hip - not a nightclub. Brain storm people! ++++++**


	26. Chapter 26

**++++++ I AM SO, SO, SO, SO, SORRY! My gran went back to the hospital with some complications from her surgery and so now she's back living with me for a while but drugged up on pain killers so she sleeps all the time now. This gives me the opportunity to try and type now. I'm also getting closer to my due date-that being like nine weeks away, maybe less if they feel the need to induce me. I'm starting to sleep like crazy again which apparently comes back in the third trimester. Anyway-please enjoy this chapter ++++++**

**Twenty-Six**

I'd just gotten back from lunch with Felicity when my phone rang. Curious to see that it was Diggle, I pulled over and turned the Bluetooth on before answering. "Hey, Dig, what's the news? I was just heading to the lair."

"_We've got a problem_," Diggle answered, sounding truly stressed out. "_It's Oliver, he's taking Helena to the lair._"

"Fuck me up the ass with a rake!" I snapped. I sighed and rubbed my gloved hands on my black leather pants. "What do you want me to do? He's obviously made up his mind without consulting with either of us. I have a date with Roy tonight and I'm not letting Oliver fuck that up for me."

"_I know, River_," Diggle answered, "_I just don't trust Helena and I think Oliver's making a mistake_."

"He's making a lot of those lately," I groaned. "Alright, fine. I'll got and talk to him. If Oliver's told you he's bringing her to the lair than they're probably already there….one question before you go, Dig-what do the kids like these days? Like not young teenagers but I'm talking sixteen and over…young adults."

Diggle paused. "_Um-tough question. Tattoos are a big thing these days with kids-electronics. Why?"_

"No reason," I shrugged. "I'll let you know how it goes with Oliver." I hung up and let the cars go by before turning around to go to the Glades. I got off and headed through the secret entrance to the lair. I could hear the sound of laughter in the training area and when I got there, I could see Helena with Oliver and he was trying to show her how to use his bow.

"What the fuck Oliver?" I snapped, scaring the two of them.

Oliver turned around, looking like a kid who'd been caught with his hand in the cookie jar and Helena looked somewhat confused. "I thought you were at lunch with Felicity," Oliver frowned.

"What the hell is she doing here?" I snapped, not really caring to acknowledge the mafia heiress in the lair.

"Oliver is helping me," Helena answered. "We haven't gotten properly introduced, River. I'm Helena-"

"I know who you are!" I snapped, glaring at her. "And I'm a hundred percent certain that I didn't ask you to talk." I turned back to Oliver. "If Diggle hadn't of called me to tell me that he didn't trust her being here-I'd probably never find out-would I?" I asked him. "And I'm sure you've told her all about me, as well? Not just blurted out all of your secrets but mine as well."

"I'm trying to help Helena," Oliver told me in that oh so perfect voice he used when he was trying to avert me from exploding. "She hasn't had the training that you and I have had-"

"Great!" I scowled. "Let's dump the bitch on the island for five years than we'll swing back 2017 to pick her up-no harm, no foul."

Oliver's mouth twitched and he looked at me like I was some kind of wayward child who needed to be put on time out. "River-you promised. We've got a mission to save this city and the people in it. Helena is lost and she needs help before she kills someone innocent."

I narrowed my eyes at him. "So you think that a couple of training sessions and maybe some in bed with Oliver time will help her?"

The two of them stared at me.

I raised an eyebrow. "Wasn't hard to guess, Oliver. Frank's on the list-as far as I'm concerned, Helena's fair game. She almost killed you mother-for that alone, but a fucking arrow in her and be done with it."

Helena glared at me, her confusion was slowly being replaced with hatred and loathing.

"Two choices, Oliver," I warned him, doing my best impression of my mother when I was a girl. "She stays, I go. I already play second fiddle to you Oliver when you promised to let me out my own. I'm not your sister, I'm not your fucking Robin or Nightwing, I'm your partner. You treat me with the same respect you would anyone who is on the same level with you. You never consulted me about Dig and you never asked me about this. So, you can forget calling for Shade for help because until she's gone-I am not answering your calls." I grabbed my helmet off the bench and tucked it underneath my arm.

"River!" Oliver called after me as I headed back up the stairs. "River-wait."

I stopped halfway up the staircase and turned back around. "You fuck me over on this Ollie and you and I are done. I will not tolerate this. I may have made you a promise but I am not going to let you drag me down like Robert did my father and I will not be cleaning up your messes like my mother does with Tommy's father. When you decide what to do-call me. Until then-don't call me."

I headed back upstairs through the clean-up that was going on and decided to go to the Watchtower to get my mind off Oliver and Helena. I was furious that he'd done what he done. I mean yes, I told Felicity but she made up her own mind about Oliver and wasn't treating me like a child and Felicity had in no means murdered anyone to gain my trust-or in Oliver's case-misguided sympathy. I can't believe that he thinks making Helena a vigilante is going to help. The woman was a loose cannon and it wasn't going to take much longer before she exploded and it bit Oliver in his ass.

I sighed and started looking at places a bunch of kids like to hang out and have a little fun but also be somewhat education at the same time. If I wanted Felicity to be working for me than I knew that IT would have to be a must but I also wanted to combine it with something I liked but something that would attract business and not have it flop.

Being an adult in the real world was helping take the pressure off my problems with Oliver.

As I was flicking through Facebook my phone started ringing. I answered it without looking at the caller ID. "Quinn?"

"_River!_" came the shrill voice at the other end.

I rolled my eyes. "Hello, mum. What shit do you wish to rain down on my parade today?" As if my day couldn't get any worse.

"_River, I called because we're having dinner tonight with the Merlyn's_," she told me, literally storming down on my already shit day.

"Hell be damned I am," I snorted. "I have a date with my boyfriend tonight and I am not going to post-pone it."

"_Since when did you get a boyfriend?_" she asked.

"Sometime between none of your damn business and now," I retorted. "I ain't coming. No amount of bitching and moaning is going to make me. I'm already having issues and to top it off, I'm going into business with a friend so there's that to sort out. I'm busy."

"_You're opening your own business?_" Peter asked on the other end sounding mildly surprised. "_Congratulations River. If you need any help with permits or anything, let me know. I have a friend who works in the mayor's office._"

"_Peter!_" my mother snapped. "_River, this dinner is important to me. Your sisters are going and Thomas will be there with his girlfriend-_"

"Wait! Tommy has a girlfriend?" I asked.

Peter chuckled. "_It's Laurel, Quintin isn't too happy about it…You're mother really needs you at this dinner, River. You can bring your boyfriend_."

I could practically feel my mother tense up on the opposite end of the phone. "No, dinner and movies is fine by me. Roy wouldn't feel comfortable hanging out with the one percenters. And I'm not going to make him. I'll have fun hanging out with him in the Glades-where he lives. You know-dealing drugs and the like...pot, meth, cocaine, Vertigo. Stuff like that."

"_River-_" I hung up with a grin on my face wondering how the hell I actually missed that woman whilst I was on the island.

I did a quick glance at the time and stretched. I had enough time to go home, have a small nap and get ready for the date. I had a few ideas for what I wanted and I had a feeling it would be somewhat popular. I had hoped that if I asked Roy, he'd take a job but I knew he had his pride despite the fact that I'd only known him for a while.

As I went to leave, I stopped by Felicity's computer to look at the suit shed finished messing around with. I grinned and saw that she was still playing around but I liked what I'd seen in the design. I flicked the mouse across the screen and quickly submitted the order requesting three of the suits and added features. I had a few orders of new weapons coming in next week so I wanted her to see what she gravitated to. Hopefully within the month-maybe two I'd have her in the field with me. By Christmas at the latest. The IT girl had good balance-childhood gymnastics she'd told me this morning as we trained. A quick check of my new investments had me grinning like the Cheshire cat as I left.

**++++++ So I've decided on three different things for the business. IT for Felicity and a bookshop for River-cause she, like me, loves to read hehe-and a coffee shop. It's a good combination of three of my favorite things as well. Hope you like ++++++**


	27. Chapter 27

**++++++ This chapter is dedicated to silentmayhem who helped me come up get in touch with a more vulnerable side to both River and Roy. She acts all tough and brave but she is scared and most likely suffering from untreated PTSD cause she's stubborn and thinks she doesn't need the help! **

**To Kindleflame5, Highlander348, and WinterRain36 - the next three chapters will focus on a number of issues but be broken up into some little segments and have a small amount of time skips in them. Cypher will make her appearance around the same time as the Dark Archer. We will get to see her soon - promise. **

**Please enjoy this chapter filled with characters I do not own...sadly...although I own River, Shade and the concept of Cypher. Cheers! ++++++**

**Twenty-Seven**

My first date with Roy went better than expected. We went to the movies to see the Amazing Spider-Man which made me laugh at my own life. I certainly wasn't running around the city in a spandex outfit fighting crime but I was leading a double life and trying to clean up all the corruption in the city.

After the movies, we went to dinner-it wasn't anywhere fancy but it was a little Italian restaurant not far from the Watchtower. The owners, Mario and Isabella Donati had apparently been keeping an eye on Roy since he was old enough to learn how to break and enter than get arrested. To me, it seemed like he was introducing me to someone special like grandparents or maybe even a parent, when I asked him about his parents, Roy told me that his father was dead and his mother had run off when he was old enough to look after himself. He seemed pretty final on the subject so I left it there and went back to eating my pasta. During the night I'd had a couple of calls from my mother and a few from Oliver, both left numerous voicemail messages but I ended up turning my phone off and was sorely tempted to throw it in the trash.

As we left the restaurant, instead of heading back to Roy's place, I dragged him along to the building Felicity had bought using my funds.

"Why can't I see where I'm going?" Roy asked me as I dragged him through the streets, a makeshift blindfold over his eyes.

"Because I said so," I grinned, holding his hand tightly as we crossed the street. "It's a surprise and I wanted to run a few things by you." I made him stop on the sidewalk and pulled the blindfold off. "Ta-da!" I grinned, waving my hand towards the building.

"What am I looking at?" Roy asked me as he stared at the abandoned four story building.

"A building," I replied, rolling my eyes. "

Roy shook his head. "I can see that, but why this particular building?"

"I own it," I answered proudly. "And I'm going to start up my own business to focus on kids who need help and guidance, a place to get them off the streets so they're safe. What do you think?"

Roy stared at the building. I could practically see the cogs ticking away in his head as he ran something over in his mind. "So what-like an after school homework thing?" he asked me.

I snorted. "God no. I was thinking of something with books because I love books but also a mini coffee shop, a mix of IT because my roomie Felicity has already agreed to come and work for me-she's like an IT queen."

"You're gonna need a lot more than books and IT," Roy replied. "A lot more. I think you're under estimating the lure the streets have for underprivileged kids. You've been stuck on an island for five years, a couple of books and an IT queen won't pull kids in. You've gotta make it fun. Not boring."

I grinned. "So what do you suggest?" I asked him as I unlocked the doors and let us in.

Roy glanced around. "Computer and video games are big with kids these days," he shrugged. "Like MMORPG's."

"Do you need a tissue?" I asked him, legitimately confused by what the hell an MMORPG was.

He laughed at me. "A Massive Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game. Like World of Warcraft, Domo, Battlestar Galactica Online, Guildwars, StarQuest-stuff like that. But don't charge for usage like computer café's do. And if you want to target underprivileged kids, try some decent free food. You've got four floors to play with-mix it up."

I mused on that thought and had a look at the empty floor signs on the lobby. What Roy said totally had a point. "Will you come with me to meet the designers on Friday? F booked them in to come and see me at ten-your idea has merits and I'd like to work on it some more. She'll be coming as well. Also, I might see about a fundraiser of some kind. See if I can't bleed some money out of the wealthy to help the poor. God knows they take enough from this city to begin with."

Roy wrapped his arm around me. "You've got spunk kid," he grinned.

"Hey!" I play growled. "I'll have you know I am twenty-one in two weeks-I'm no kid."

"Can I offer another suggestion?" Roy asked me.

I nodded. "Shoot."

"Visit some of the schools in the area and ask what the kids would like," Roy threw out there. "I can see IT being beneficial. Your friend can do some basic classes to teach kids design or something, fix computers for little to no cost. The video game idea will drag in most of them as will the books."

I grinned. "Roy Harper! I never knew!"

"Knew what?" he asked, staring at me as if I had grown a second head.

"That you cared so much," I grinned, dropping my bag on the floor before I pulled him into a savage kiss. "You do a good job of hiding it from everyone, Roy," I mumbled into his neck. "You've got a heart underneath the exterior you present, Roy. I like your heart, don't hide it."

Roy kissed my head and held me close. "All this for a couple of ideas…" he muttered.

"I don't want you to think of me as a heartless rich cow," I murmured loud enough for Roy to hear me. "I care about what happens to this city and I'll use my dad's money to honor his memory. Come and work with me," I offered, using 'with me' instead of 'for me'.

Roy snorted. "I don't need a handout, River. I'm fine."

"I didn't even know what an MMO-thingy was," I argued back.

"MMORPG," he corrected me. "What exactly do you want me to do?"

"Mentor the kids," I shrugged. "I'm new at this whole business idea, Roy. You and F have the ideas. I'm just trying to find a way to help. If it helps I'll give you shit pay."

Roy laughed. "You couldn't afford me," he replied.

"F said the same thing," I shrugged. "Please? I need all the help I can get and as far as I'm concerned, I don't need Oliver Queen to stick his nose in my business. The rich can help pay but I don't want one sticking his nose in my business and trying to make a profit out of it."

"I'll help you," Roy nodded. "Because you need it. You need someone who knows kids and you don't. Your life was stolen from you when you were deserted on that island. You need someone to help you get it back and an IT queen isn't going to help you, is she?"

I buried my head in Roy's chest and I felt him tense up but he kept his arms wrapped around me. I could feel the tears building up in my eyes so I forced myself to focus on Roy and his incredible scent.

"I'm no good," Roy confessed. "I've got a high school education-that's it. I can't mentor anyone."

"And I've got nothing," I whispered. "Just you and Felicity. Please, try…for me. If you feel that you can't any more than I can live with that. I'll let you go back to what you've been doing. I just…I just want to help people…"

And that doesn't mean help by killing them either.

Roy paused and sighed. "You're stubborn-you know that? I'll help you, River."

"Can I stay the night?" I asked him. "No sex…just keep a hold of me…please?"

"Least I know you don't want me for my body," he sighed with a hint of humor in his voice. "Give me the keys and I'll lock up. You're more than welcome to stay the night. Gives me a chance to get to know you a little better than I already do.

I'm no psychologist but I think I was starting to reach my breaking point.

Roy and Felicity were my anchors but Oliver was the water that was starting to drown me and I don't know what to do. For the first time in five years…I was scared.

"Do you have any dreams, Roy?" I asked him as we headed out the door, handing my keys to him at the same time. "I always wanted to be an English Teacher."

Roy locked the doors for me, he was thinking about his answer, very cleverly. "I wanted to travel…see the world than settle down somewhere that isn't Starling City and go to college to study social work."

I grinned and he wrapped his arm around me again as we walked through the streets.

This was good...this was nice...

**++++++ A little vulnerable River...something I am not used to writing especially with her considering she's always a great big ball of hurt, but should be addressed. Hope you liked it ++++++**


	28. Chapter 28

**++++++ Sorry about the updates! My grandmother is still here which is delightful...not...seriously I love her but she is so old fashion it's not even funny. Please enjoy! ++++++**

**Twenty-Nine**

_It took me long enough but after Oliver tried to rescue Yao Fei and got himself captured for it-I knew that this wasn't the place for me to be. _

_I stood by and watched Yao Fei snap Oliver's neck and watched in horror as they took his body away to dump it. That's when I decided to leave. When I went to my tent to pack a few things up, I noticed that there was already a bag hidden underneath my bed. _

_Curiously I pulled the bag out and found a variety of supplies inside-food, water, my weapons, a map and some clothing. Hang on…a map? I pulled the map out of the bag and unrolled it. _

_"__Shēngcún?" I frowned. "Survive?"_

_Okay…I may be a little confused. _

_There was a red circle drawn on the map located at the end of the island. _ _Yao Fei wanted me to go there? How did he know I wasn't going to run straight to Fyers and Wintergreen and tell them? Because I certainly didn't know what the hell was I going to do? _

_I folded the map back up and stuffed it in the bag before slinging it up over my shoulder and sneaking out the back of the tent._

_It took me a couple of days to get where the map had marked me to go. _

_When I got there, I found myself faced with a crashed cargo plane completely covered in weeds and vines. I dumped my bag on the ground and stepped inside the plane. _ _Something was digging in the back of my mind and the hair stood up on the back of my neck. I ducked down and spun around, connecting my foot with something solid. The two of us fell backwards, landing on our asses. _

_I jumped to my feet and held my fists up. "Who the hell are you?" I snapped. _

_"__Who am I?" he growled in an Australia accent. "Who are you?" _

_"__River Quinn, you're Slade Wilson-Wintergreen's partner," I answered. _

_He glared at me. _

_I hid a giggle looking at his hair, it reminded me of Sonic the Hedgehog. _

_"__What the hells is a teenage girl doing here?" he growled. _

_I handed him the map. "Yao Fei left this for me-despite the fact that I was with Fyers and Wintergreen."_

_He shot me an 'I'm going to kill you look'. "So you're here to spy on me?" he growled. _

_I held my hands up defensively. "Nope. I don't actually know why I'm here but I don't think it's a good idea to be there anymore…they killed someone I knew and Yao Fei left the bag there for me. I think he wanted me to come here."_

_"__What use could a teenager be to me?" he scowled. _

_I raised an eyebrow. "Did I forget to mention that Wintergreen's been a drill sergeant to me for almost a year? Because he pretty much taught me a lot. I mean-not all of what he knows but he taught me a lot. And that's saying so for a girl who grew up in Starling City so if you're gonna kill me just kill me cause I'm bored." _

_Slade Wilson stared at me, I could see his mind ticking over and I wasn't sure how this was going to work out._

* * *

The following day didn't exactly finish how I planned.

I left Roy's feeling particularly energetic even after our quickie in the shower…and the couch…and then the kitchen bench…with a huge grin on my face and a bounce in my step. I went back to the apartment and wrote up an email to send to the designers I was meeting on the Friday than went to the Watchtower to train a little.

Even a text message from my mother asking me to go to Angela's birthday party on the weekend didn't dampen my spirits.

Hell-I even said yes.

That's when I got the call from Diggle.

"Speak and be heard mortal!" I grinned, putting him on loud speaker.

"_Where are you?_" Diggle replied.

"Gym," I lied, spurting the water in the bottle down my throat. "Although after the workout this morning I highly doubt that I need it."

"_I really don't need to know about your sex life,_" Diggle huffed. "_Turn the TV on, River. I doubt you've seen the news yet._"

I went over to the computer and logged onto the CNN site. "What am I looking-Oh motherfucker!" I hissed, clicking on the video.

"_I see you found it_," Diggle sighed.

"_Anthony Venza was arrested last night. The police confiscated a warehouse full of illegal prescription drugs with a street value estimated in the millions. Several unconfirmed witnesses reported seeing the Starling City vigilante leaving the scene with another unknown accomplice possibly a woman. This was not Shade, not the blond vigilante that Startling City has gotten to know-it makes this reporter wonder if there is trouble in paradise._"

"That faithless, motherfucking son of a bitch!" I hissed.

"_Am I going to need to call an ambulance_?" Diggle questioned.

"No," I hissed. "He's gonna need to fucking coroner-where is he!"

"_Lair_," he replied. "_I'm here now-I'll see you when you get here_."  
I hung up and flicked Felicity a text message.

**I'm going to murder Oliver-can you get me a new phone and transfer my stuff from the computer you backed it up on?**

Seconds later I had a reply.

**You saw the news huh? I'll pick a new phone up on the way home. Don't hurt him…too much…he's kinda cute.**

I rolled my eyes.

**Stop rolling your eyes at me. **

I flicked Roy off a text telling him I was getting a new phone and number and would text him back later. His reply was one of those cute smiley faces and a bunch of flowers that made me laugh…right before I dropped my phone on the ground and used one of the metal poles to smash it into tiny little plastic and metal pieces.

I think I do need a little therapy.

I broke pretty much every speed limit getting to the lair and when I did, Oliver and Helena were doing some practice with a crossbow. I grabbed Oliver's bow and shot an arrow as close as I could to Helen'a head, missing her face by millimetres but burying the arrow in the wall.

"Now that I've got your attention," I scowled, dropping the bow on the table.

"Hello River," Oliver frowned.

"We're done!" I snapped.

"Sorry?" Oliver asked me. "River-you said-"

"We're gone," I said again, a slight chill to my voice. "I warned you that if you fucked me over we were done. Instead you choose a piece of ass in place of me. I saw the fucking news report, Ollie. She's a cold blooded killer!"

"You're not exactly a saint yourself," Helena mumbled.

I glared at her. "I'd shut your mouth if I were you Helena or I'll tell daddy and the Triad that it'ss you trying to start a mob war just to get back at daddy for killing your fiancé whilst you snuck around with the FBI."

Oliver and Helena both stared at me. "How did you know that?"

I smirked.

Felicity was too good sometimes.

And I loved her for it.

"Since you've got someone to help you," I told him, a smug smirk on my face, "you should know that I've found myself a partner as well. I don't need your shit dragging me down. You want to play with bitch over there than that's fine. I'm not your partner anymore. Later Ollie!"

"River!" Oliver shouted out after me. I could hear him running up the stairs behind me.

I spun around and held my hands up. "Touch me and I will kill you. That's a promise, Oliver," I warned him.

Oliver stood there and stared at me. "River…"

"We're not friends anymore," I warned him. "I'm sure I'll see you out there in the city but don't get in my way. That's the only warning I'm giving you." I turned back around leaving Oliver standing there stunned.

I wanted to punch him but somehow I don't think a fight would benefit any of us right now.


	29. Chapter 29

**++++++ So my grandmother is still here and with the baby getting bigger-we're at 32 weeks now, posting is hard at the moment. I will continue on as much as I can though, please enjoy ++++++**

**Twenty-Nine**

Ever since my argument and subsequent 'breakup' with both Oliver Queen and the Hood life had become more or less complicated. Sure I wasn't as angry anymore but I moped around for a few days going through the five stages of grieving-currently I was at anger. Hannibal Bates and Brandon Costalis had been cross off the List-and life-as a result.

All Felicity did was stare at me when I came back in from taking care of them. I could see she had a lot to say but wasn't saying it. We trained twice a day-Felicity's core was practically spot on now and we split our sessions between general exercise and practice of muscle memory. It would still be a while before Felicity would be jumping off buildings but I was hoping by Christmas I could have her out there with me.

I told Roy about the fight between Oliver and I, leaving some things out of course but he listened to me and told me not to take too much stock in it. Laurel had found out through Tommy and when she ran into me the Friday of my appointment with the designers, she agreed that yes Oliver was selfish and hadn't changed in his time on the island but she also told me that after five years being stuck with only each other, she'd expect us to get a little rocky whilst we both found our individual ways back into society.

That was the day I realized that I didn't hate Laurel Lance as much.

But I was adamant that I was right and nothing would change that.

The three of us met with the designers, a rather trendy-and extremely gay-gentleman called Marcus Ryder kept on hitting on Roy making me giggle the whole time of the meeting. Marcus was all about the colors and the shapes of things whilst his partner Jessica Rogers was more interested in the shape of things and how I wanted them. Both adults loved the ideas presented to them and after a three hour meeting, we'd come up with a few ideas that they draw up and have ready in two weeks.

After the meeting, Felicity went back to work whilst Roy and I went shopping for a present for the twin's birthday. Angela was having a party with her friends but Molly didn't want a birthday party because at thirteen she was far too mature to have a baby's birthday. Angela was all about her friends whilst Molly liked to read anything and everything she could get her hands on. For Angela I got a gift voucher for _Forever 21_ and for Molly I got her a gift voucher for _Barnes and Noble_. Two sides of the same coin. When Roy offered to come to the birthday party with me I laughed at the idea of my boyfriend meeting my crazy mother. Then I had to tell him that I'd told my mother he sold drugs just to annoy her and he almost spat his coke everywhere.

But still he wanted to come.

I'll give him points for that.

So on Saturday morning at 11:15 the two of us stood on the porch of my mum's place waiting for someone to answer the door. When it was answered, Peter stood there, eyebrow raised and a slight smirk on his face. "So this is the drug dealer, huh?" he asked.

I burst out laughing and Roy held his hand out. "Roy Harper."

"Peter Wilson," Peter answered, shaking his hand. "Nice to meet you, kid. Come on in. The girls are in the yard."

Roy shook his head at me with a slight smile.

When I took my coat off, Angela and Molly crashed into me, almost knocking me to the ground. "Jesus!" I chuckled. "Happy birthday you guys!"

"Thanks, River!" they chanted.

I handed them their gift vouchers and they opened them with all the tenacity of any thirteen-year-old. "Hope you like them."

Angela grinned. "I can get more clothes for school!"

"More books?" Peter asked with a grin. "She already has enough."

"I love it!" Molly grinned, hugging me again.

"So Lance tells me you and Queen aren't talking anymore," Peter spoke.

I groaned as we followed him outside to where the food and drinks were. "How the hell does he know?"

"Laurel," Peter replied. "Which I'm assuming means you won't be working at the club with him?"

I shook my head. "I'm opening up my own business."

"You're what?" my mother shrieked from the patio.

The three off us stopped in our tracks.

"I'm opening my own place," I repeated. "Roy here, and Felicity are helping me."

"Congratulations," Peter grinned. "What are you going to do? Outdoor survival? Cause you've got that down to a fine art."

I smirked. "No. A safe place for teens to hang out, get them off the streets. It'll have video games, books, a small coffee shop, teaching rooms for hire, my friend Felicity will be doing IT so cheap, affordable repairs and has agreed to teach some IT classes. Marcus suggested we renovate the dead garden at the back of the building and make it into a basketball court for the kids. It's a three story building near the Glades with the clock tower-"

"I know that one," Peter nodded. "Will you be working with her, Roy?" he asked.

"Roy's going to help with a mentor program," I grinned. "It's a working progress but I think the place has a lot of potential to do great things. I've got an awesome support network with Roy and Felicity. And the designer, Marcus, is amazing. He's pretty helpful." I wrapped my arm around Roy's waist and he kissed me on the head.

"A word?" Peter asked me when Roy went to go get something to eat.

I nodded and the two of us went back into the kitchen. "I'm assuming I did something wrong?"

Peter shook his head. "No, you didn't. I'm worried about you, that's all. You've been back a month and a bit, almost two months now. A lot has changed for you. You were trapped on an island for five years, with just Oliver-"

And a million different things that wanted to kill me.

"-and he was all you had. Now you're back here and all of this freedom is back open to you," he frowned. "You're an adult now, not the teenager you once were. Someone who was forced to grow up quickly in a hostile environment without any guidance. Oliver was already an adult when he left so it's easy for him to pick up where he left off. You, River, I don't care what your mother says, Oliver was good for you. I think you made a mistake cutting him out of your life completely. You should have started off with separation sure, but cold turkey, not good."

I snorted. "Thanks, Peter, but I don't think I need your advice."

Peter sighed. "Just keep it in mind, River. It won't hurt." He straightened up his jacket and headed back out to accost Roy at the food.

I grumbled under my breath and scratched the back of my head. It was really none of his business anyway.


	30. Chapter 30

**++++++ Please enjoy! Plus I do not own. Even though I wish I did ++++++**

**Thirty**

_I made it to the crashed cargo plane a full three days before Oliver did and to see him alive was the biggest shock of my life to say the least. After a rocky first couple of days, Slade allowed me to go hunting-I'm assuming to test my loyalties and what skills I had. _

_When I'd come back, I could Slade rushing around inside, I drew my kodachi and stuck my head inside the plane very cautiously. "Slade?" I frowned, seeing a figure tied to the chair. I dumped the chicken thing on the ground and sheathed the blade. "See you did some hunting of your own."_

_"__Do you know him?" Slade grunted. "Said Yao Fei sent him."_

_I circled the lump in the chair and my jaw dropped. "Oliver! Oh my god! You're alive!" I knelt down in front of him and lifted his chin up, he was sporting a cracked lip and was unconscious. "You knocked him out?" I asked him. _

_Slade smirked. "I don't trust him-and I don't trust you yet either."_

_"__What possible harm could a seventeen-year-old girl be?" I winked. I stood up and sighed. "I'm gonna go and clean that bird up. Just an FYI, Slade, Oliver spent most of his teenage and first years of his adult life as a human distillery. Whatever you think he is, trust me, Oliver isn't. How he even managed to survive is beyond me."_

_Slade shook his head. "You, River, are troubling. I don't understand teenagers."_

_I went over to the bird so I could get it ready for eating. _

_For little over an hour I was outside gutting the bird. Halfway through having my hands full of bird guts, I heard a grunt and a shout, forcing me to run inside with blood hands, hoping that Slade hadn't killed Oliver yet. I was surprised to see that Oliver out of the seat and by the looks of it, he'd just clocked Slade in the face. _

_"__Making friends?" I asked them both. _

_Oliver spun around and glared at me. "What the hell are you doing here?" he snapped._

_"__Yao Fei," I answered, cleaning my bloodied hands, "he packed me a goodie bag and sent me on my way. I honestly thought you were dead."_

_Oliver scowled. "You're working with Fyers!"_

_"__Did," I replied. "Like I said, Yao Fei sent me up here-I wasn't a fan of seeing you get your neck snapped but here you are, alive and well. I'll go finish the bird," I told Slade, doing a pretty good job at hiding my excitement at seeing him alive again. _

_"__Stay," Slade told me. "As I was telling your friend earlier, it takes more than one man to take the airfield."_

_I raised an eyebrow. "Fyers never let me go to the airfield," I told him. "But I did memorize maps and layouts-I'm fairly confident in saying that I can remember where the guards are stationed."_

_Slade paused as he studied the two of us. "If either of you compromise my getting off this island, I will kill you."_

_"__Ditto," I shot back, full of more confidence than I actually had. _

_"__I've seen River's skills," Slade told Oliver, "she's sharper than you are boy. She's passable, you on the other hand, we need to turn you into something that won't get us all killed." He stood back, "choose a weapon."_

_"__We're starting now?" _

* * *

"Choose a weapon."

"We're starting now?" Felicity gaped as she stared at the tables full of weapons. "River-there's so many weapons here." She gazed at the various blades, both amazed and slightly freaked out at the same time. "Oh my god! What if I get stabbed! I'll have to explain it at work-"

"They're all blunted," I told her with a confident smile. "So no ouchies. The purpose of this exercise is to see what weapons sings to you."

Felicity cocked her head. "Sings? What do you mean by sings to me?"

I smiled. "I mean sing to you. What weapon you choose is to be an extension of yourself. My sais are my extension. You need to find your extension. From what your primary weapon is, it'll be easier to find your secondary weapon. But this moment, is yours and yours alone. I can't choose for you."

Felicity gulped.

The two tables were laid out with a variety of weapons. There were butterfly swords, a Jian, katanas, broadswords, longs words, kilij, several different types of sabers, a scimitar ad several other types of weapons that could be primary or secondary weapons. A titanium suitcase was sitting on the edge of the table but the contents of which were Felicity's surprise-her suit had also arrived which I'd placed in the case beside mine but thrown a sheet over it which she totally noticed when she arrived.

"Any pointers?" the IT queen asked me.

"Give each blade a decent amount of time," I told her.

"So is this gonna be like Harry Potter?" Felicity blurted out. "_The wand chooses the wizard, Harry,_" she quoted.

I raised an eyebrow. "I'm serious, F. Do you see me laughing?" I asked her sternly.

Felicity gulped. "Sorry, River."

I crossed my arms and sat down at the computers. "This can take a few minutes or a few days, F. How long it takes is up to you. Pick up a weapon, weigh it a few times in each hand." I had a feeling about what weapon Felicity would pick, it was just a feeling but enough to make me order two different weapons in Cypher's colours. "When you're done, drop it in the box so I can send it back."

Felicity picked up the Jian and shifted it in her hands a few times before she dropped it back into the empty box. She repeated this process over several times and for the next couple of hours. As she got to the next table, Felicity picked up the katana and swung it around.

I smirked when I saw her juggle it between her hands with a grin on her face. Thank god it wasn't sharp though, I thought as she waved it around. "Found your wand?" I asked her.

Felicity grinned. "I like this one!"

"The weapon of the samurai," I smiled, getting to my feet. "I thought you'd like that one. We can start training with that tomorrow. The suitcase, open it," I instructed.

Felicity sat the katana down on the table and opened the suitcase with more excitement than a kid at Christmas. "What is that?"

"Custom made tablet," I told her. "I ordered it and payed a hefty amount of money for it. It's untraceable, un-hackable, has all the goodies you could possibly want and more. It's yours to customize as you see fit and will fit the curvature of your arm in your suit. I figure since the two of us will be away at any given time, that this way, that is a mobile computer system."

Felicity picked up the curved tablet and fiddled with it. The tablet itself was almost paper thin but curved so it would fit in the arm of her suit. I didn't understand the technical side of things but it would allow Felicity to do anything she could do at the Watchtower and more. "You said it would fit in my suit?" she asked me.

I nodded. "Sure will." I grabbed the sheet and pulled it aside, revealing Cypher's suit standing there next to Shade's.

Felicity grinned and put the table back down. "I love the red!" she grinned.

The suit itself was similar to mine with the leather corset top with the long sleeves and gloves to match, there was a section on the inside of the right arm where Felicity would be able to insert the tablet device and cover it so it looked like a part of her suit. The leather pants had various weapon sheaths for throwing knives and the like as well as a belt pouch that she could take optional extras in if she needed it. The boots were flat and sturdy but with room enough for a long hidden blade-similar to mine in a way. The entire suit was a dark, deep blue color with a blood red domino mask and a matching blood red wig to cover her blonde locks.

"I ordered two," I smirked. "Your helmet for the bike is also red. The bike itself is the same color as your suit with black mixed in."

Felicity grinned. "When can I take it out?"

I shrugged. "Hoping by Christmas. But," I added, seeing her excitement, "we have a lot of training to do. I mean a lot. So I've booked us a place for two weeks so we can practice without being interrupted. Can you take two weeks off work?"

"How soon?" Felicity asked me.

"After our next appointment with Marcus," I replied. "So, yes? No? By that time your katana should be ready."

Felicity grinned. "First thing in the morning!" she bounced. "Can we practice with the blunt weapons?" she asked me.

I smiled. It was good to have someone eager and willing to trust me as much as Felicity did.


	31. Chapter 31

**++++++ Biggest apologize in the whole wide world! My internet provider, which in this case is Telstra aka Hellstra, had slowed our service down to the barest minimum so I was only able to do certain things and uploading or downloading was a definitely a not gonna happen. The internet has only pretty much been sorted by now but also add to the fact that I'm now eight months pregnant, the bother factor was a huge thing for me. Coming up with ideas and than putting them to electronic paper was just not happening at all. **

**Please enjoy this chapter and remember that I am Australian so things are spelt the way we spell it here Down Under, not how the America's spell it. **

**Love you all! ++++++**

**Thirty-One**

After the next meeting with Marcus and his design team, Felicity and I were off to the outskirts of Metropolis for two weeks of training, training and more training. I was surprised to see Felicity could operate on very little sleep so quickly but then again she was always on the computer until all hours of the night.

Along with the rigorous training schedule, we talked about what plans we had for the future of both the partnership and the business. I hadn't even come up with a name yet but it was a working progress. I had originally been tempted to bring our costumes along but I had a rule about playing in someone else's playground and Metropolis was Superman's territory.

Plus, he could literally break every bone in my body so I had no plans in playing with the big guy what so ever. Batman would be easier to mess around with.

The physical side, as fun as it was, was only a small portion of training as a whole. During the late hours of the night, when the true nightlife of the city came out to play, Felicity and I would take to walking the streets, sticking to the shadows. Using the shadows to your advantage was one of the single most important weapons you could have. If you were in the shadows, it was almost impossible to be seen-almost. Those who were skilled enough to use the shadows were also skilled enough to see through them.

That's why taking out scum like Adam Hunt or Jason Brodeur had been _so_ easy.

"Is this like Ninja 101?" Felicity asked me as we walked through the city. "Cause they totally have a _Ninja for Dummies_ book on Amazon for like twenty bucks. Chapter three-Shadow Walking."

I chuckled. "No. Although, there's the League of Assassins I could pack you up and ship you off too. That'll be fun. Girl like you, they'd chew you up and spit you back out."

"League of Assassins?" the IT queen frowned. "There's a league for that? Sounds like a baseball team." She stuck her hands in her pocket and shivered a little from the cold. "How do you know about the League of Assassins?"

"I wasn't always stuck on the island you know," I told her. "In fact, there was a point in time where Oliver and I didn't even know each other was alive. The league originates from Tibet, a place called Nanda Parbat-I came across them once-spent a delightful three months as their prisoner before I escaped. Had help from a friend. She was supposed to come with me but never showed up. They either killed her for it or she stayed with them." I turned off the street, giving Felicity no choice but to follow me into an alley.

"Aren't you afraid we'll get mugged?" Felicity asked, securing her bag around her arm.

I kept silent and stepped back into the shadows before Felicity noticed.

She stopped dead in the middle of the alley and I watched her from the shadows. "River!" she gasped. "River! What are you doing? Seriously, you did not just ditch me in the middle of an alley to prove a point. Where are you?"

I jumped a little and pulled myself silently up the fire escape. "You're the bait, F."

"Bitch," Felicity mumbled under her breath.

I smirked.

Felicity gripped her bag tighter and looked around before she continued on through the 'short-cut' we were taking. She was mumbling about hacking my bank accounts and stealing all my money before running away to Florida and living out the rest of her life.

I chuckled silently and waited as the sound of fiendish laughter could be heard from the opposite end of the alley. There were two of them, big bulky, mostly muscle and a whole lot of trouble. You can do it, F, I thought to myself as Felicity stumbled back a little. She looked around, trying to find me, the look on her face had me suspecting that she had second thoughts about me still actually being here.

I just hoped that Sup's wouldn't ruin the training session.

Be my luck that we'd be interrupted by a guy who wears his underwear on the outside of his pants. I tied my hair back and pulled a domino mask on, concealing my identity just in case. Gripping the fire escape bars with a gloved hand, I leant forward and waited as the two men came up to Felicity.

"Hello, kitty," the first one smirked. "What you doing out at this time of night?"

Felicity stepped back. She was a mixture of afraid and pissed off-pissed mainly at me I guess.

"Pretty kitty got a name?" the second asked.

Felicity's eyes flicked around as she tried to look for me.

The first guy snorted. "If you're looking for Sup's-he's a little busy at the moment. It's just you and me and my mate Johnny. Just us three to have a whole lot of fun."

"It's not Superman I'm looking for," Felicity scowled.

"Who you looking for lovey?" she was asked. "A good time? Cause I can give you a good time."

"She's looking for me," I replied, dropping own off the fire escape. Grabbing the smaller guy first, I twisted his arm behind his back and kicked the side of his knee, hearing a distinctive crack of the bone before he fell to the ground, screaming in pain. I kicked him in the face with the heel of my boot, knocking him out.

"Who the fuck are you supposed to be?" the second guy asked.

I ignored his question and melted back into the shadows.

He spun around, forgetting Felicity for the moment. "Where are you?" he shouted.

"Boo!" I grinned, leaning forward from the top of the garbage bin I was sitting on. I wrapped my arm snugly around his neck and within my grip, his body squirmed, his fingers scratching at my leather jacket, trying to peel me off. He tried to throw his weight away from me, but all he succeeded in doing was causing more of his energy to leave his body. His face started to turn red, eyes bulging. I tugged to the side. I heard a small crack, as if I were cracking his knuckles. Still, he was moving, a sudden burst of vigour came to him as he realized what I was attempted to do. I felt him feebly elbow me in the side, but at this point, he was too weak to escape. I made sure of it.

I strengthened my grip and jerked again. Nothing. He wheezed out, begging in raspy whispers, his fleeting last hopes as weak as the gasps he could squeeze out of his windpipe. His body started to relax.

Finally, and with one last twist, I heard another crack. Faint, a small bleat of protest as his body finally fell limp. I eased him to the ground, his eyes staring back up at me in shock and awe. His mouth flapped like a gasping fish, no sound or air escaped. He'd come out tonight in the hopes to cause some trouble but the look on his face told me that he hadn't expected to die.

Not tonight.

"Is-is he dead?" Felicity stammered, not moving from her spot.

"As a doornail," I replied, a slight grin on my face.

Felicity let out a sigh of relief right before she slapped me.

"I guess I deserved that," I admitted, rubbing my face.

"What did that little exercise have to prove?" Felicity scowled, following me out of the alley.

"That you don't have to dive into an all-out brawl," I replied. "That the shadows can allow you to strike instantly without having to tire yourself out." I removed the mask and pulled my hair down. "Shadows are your greatest weapon. Not your blades or your hands but the shadows. You can escape any foe using them."

"End of lesson?" Felicity asked.

"End of lesson," I nodded.


	32. Chapter 32

**++++++ Here you go! Have another chapter on the house. Sorry about the delay, I've been putting some more time into another Walking Dead story of mine. Please enjoy ++++++**

**Thirty-Two**

Out the corner of my eye I could see Roy watching me as I bounced backwards and forwards in the apartment practically vomiting Christmas decorations everywhere. For the first time since before the island, I was having Christmas again and I wanted it to be so traditional that it would make you sick.

The past few months had passed relatively quiet, a few deadbeats were off the street and more occupants of the List had been crossed off permanently or been arrested when their dealings came to light. But to say that this was my focus right now would be sadly mistaken. Right now-I was all about Christmas.

I was decorating the tree, I heard Felicity returning home from work. She stopped dead in the entrance way and looked at Roy. "What happened in here?"

"River vomited up Christmas," he replied. "I swear we spent all morning buy anything and everything to do with Christmas. She's all yours!"

"Hey!" Felicity groaned, grabbing his arm. "I'm only stopping buy for a change of clothes, Walter's got me working on something so I needed clean clothes. I have to get back. She's all yours."

Roy sighed. "She's had three Red Bulls today as well. I have no idea how to do anything IT but I'm begging you, Felicity. Let me swap!"

I raised an eyebrow and threw some blue tinsel over my shoulder. "You could help you know," I told him with a grin.

"Or you could take a ten minute break," Roy suggested. He slumped back on the couch and nodded to the space next to him. "Come on River."

I rolled me eyes. "Since when did you get so damn irresistible?"

He shrugged. "It's part of my natural charm." He grabbed the newspaper from beside him and chucked it at me. "Heard the news? They've finally caught on that Shade and the Hood aren't buddies anymore."

I rolled my eyes. Bloody media I swear. If it's not something to do with the Kardashian's and Kim's nine hundredth's wedding who bloody cares? "Gee, that makes front page? Anything interesting? Like girlfriend wants to have sex with ridiculously sexy boyfriend but he's reading the paper?"

"Not on the couch!" Felicity shouted as she came back into the lounge room, tying her hair back. "And we're on page six," she told me. "Won't be home for dinner."

I waved her off as I flicked through to page six and grinned like the Grinch. "Island castaway and young adult, Rive Quinn, looks to opening refuge for underprivileged teens." I grinned. "That is awesome. Only problem is that it's on page six. I'm a first page kind of girl."

Roy rolled his eyes.

I chuckled. "We really need to work on the press for this thing. Raise some money through the rich morons that think they rule this city. Moira might know. I think she'll know how to throw together a fundraiser to get some money out of her bloodsucking friends."

"You're not talking to the Queen's, remember?" Roy reminded me.

"Just Oliver," I replied.

"Well than maybe you'd like this than," Roy spoke, tossing me an intricate envelope with Oliver's hand writing on it.

I ripped it open and read over the contents. "Christmas party invitation. Hosted by the Queen's." I tossed it on the table. "Could be fun. Wanna come?"

Roy snorted. "No thanks. I'd have more fun in jail, thanks."

"Maybe F will come," I shrugged. "But, in the meantime, back to decorating the tree."

I went to get up but Roy grabbed both ends of the tinsel and dragged me back to his lap. "Unhand me you heathen!" I ordered him. "Your queen commands it."

"Not until you cut out with the Christmas crap," Roy argued. "And you're not my queen."

I frowned. "Why are you so against Christmas?" I asked him. "I didn't have it for like five years. This is my first Christmas since before the island. I wanted traditional an utterly amazing. Please, Roy? Let me have Christmas."

"Give me the puppy dog eyes all you want," Roy shot back, "but I am not going to fall for it."

"And if I flash my boobs?" I offered.

Roy laughed. "Tempting. But I don't do Christmas. My mum ran off before Christmas leaving me and dad alone. I don't like Christmas. Sorry."

I nodded. "Okay. Make me sound like a bitch."

"An attractive bitch," Roy shrugged. He sighed. "As enjoyable as it has been watching you run around like you're stoned, maybe tone it down a little?" he suggested. "I get that this is your first Christmas but work it slowly. Okay?"

I nodded. "Sure." I kissed him quickly on the nose. "Thanks Roy. I guess I did go a little overboard with the whole Christmas spirit." I jumped back up and dumped the tinsel back on in the box before heading to the kitchen for a drink. "Maybe I should take that Christmas lingerie back that I got from Victoria Secret," I told him with a smirk.

Silence.

"Ah-no, you can keep that!" Roy practically shouted. He came to join me in the kitchen and kiss the back of my head. "I gotta dash, meeting some friends this afternoon. Enjoy throwing up Christmas everywhere."

I stuck my tongue out at him and waved him off.

I spent the next few hours decorating the apartment before finally deciding to head off to the Queen mansion and speak with Moira.

The matriarch herself answered the door and paused when she saw me standing there. "River-I thought you and Oliver weren't talking with each other anymore."

"I'm here to see you actually," I told her, hands in my pocket. "Mind if I come in? I need to ask you for a favour."

Moira hesitated. "Of course, River. Come in. What can I do for you?"

"Fundraiser advice," I replied. "Dunno if you've read the paper later, page six is hard to remember but I'm opening a refuge for teenagers. Gonna call it Bìnàn-it means refuge in Mandarin." I sat down across from Moira and she ordered some tea from her maid. "I was hoping I could get some advice on how to get the rich to open their cheque books and help."

Moira smiled. "Of course I'll be glad to help you, River. Despite what happened between you and Oliver, we're still friends." She shifted a little. "What did happen between you and Oliver?" she asked me.

I rolled my eyes. "A girl. Helena Bertinielli actually. He didn't really believe what I had to say about her and chose her over me. Not ready to forgive him just yet."

"Oliver has a lot off faults," Moira agreed. "Choosing a girl over good friendship is probably one of them. You two have been through too much to fight over something so small. Are you coming to the Christmas Party?"

I nodded. "Yup."

"Bringing a date?" she asked me.

I shook my head. "My date doesn't really like wealthy people. His name is Roy. He lives in the Glades. He's actually helping with the refuge. I'll probably come by myself."

"Then you and Oliver should take the opportunity to sort things out," Moira suggested. "Think about it, River."

I glanced up as the maid brought a tea tray in. "So, I need some catering ideas and someone who deals with decorations."

"I'll give you the name of my planner," Moira insisted, getting up to fetch something from the next room. She came back with a black folder in her hand. "Tara is wonderful, she knows exactly what she's doing. You'll love her, I promise."

I opened the folder when she gave it to me and looked through the photos.

Honestly it looked like I was going to be here a while.

**++++++ So we all know what Christmas time in season one means. Yup-you said it, the Dark Archer. Malcolm Merlyn himself. End of next chapter, possible beginning of chapter 34, I will have a surprise for you all! Enjoy ++++++ **


	33. Chapter 33

**++++++ These delays are just getting more and more frequent the closer I get to bub's due date. But good news! I'm officially on leave now and bub's not due for another three weeks-fingers crossed-so that just mean's more chapters! Please enjoy! And I do not own! ++++++**

**Thirty-Three**

Felicity came home from work just as I was finishing straightening my hair for the Christmas party that night. I stuck my head out the door of my bedroom and grinned. "Hey, F. You still coming with me right? Peter and mum are going. Don't leave me alone with them."

Felicity took her coat off and put it on the coat-rack. "Yeah, give me a minute and I'll hope into the shower." She hurried into her room and stopped at the doorway. "So-something weird happened today. I was working on something for Walter when Oliver came by."

I paused. "Oliver? What did he want?"

"He wanted me to trace an arrow," Felicity replied.

I raised an eyebrow. "Trace an arrow?" I repeated. "Why?"

Felicity shrugged. "It was a black arrow purchased from a company from Sagittarius. It was part of a bulk shipment. When Oliver left, I did a Bing search and found a report about the Hood going back to kill those he's already targeted."

"That's a load of bull. Oliver's not like that." I paused to think. "So-you're telling me that there is another archer out there killing people?"

Felicity nodded. "There has to be."

I shook my head. "We're not going tonight," I argued, getting up.

Felicity put her hand on my shoulder. "You promised Moira you'd go. We can go, mingle a little bit than go to the Watchtower afterwards. Are you okay with that?" she asked me. "You can't give up your life just because someone could be on the loose tonight."

I sighed. "Okay. Fine." Standing up, I walked over to the wardrobe and unzipped the bag. I grinned at the dress-it was red. Roy had picked it yesterday after seeing me walking around his place in his red hoodie. And it was Christmas-like.

I put the dress on, adjusting the thin straps with a sigh. I still wasn't used to dresses yet-no way in hell had I elected to wear heals again, just a simple pair of matching flats. "So-quick visit, couple glasses of wine, some nibbles than we're off," I told myself.

I glanced over at the computer and sat down to see if there was any news about the new archer in town. There was a lot in there on Oliver and the Hood-I glanced back at Felicty's closed bedroom door before turning back and typing in my name. '_Shade_'.

**_Starling City Vigilante Duo Split_**

_It has come to the attention of both the police and this reported that the Starling City Vigilante Duo the Hood and Shade have called it quits. On first appearance, the two had been working together but not long after the Hood made his first appearance with another female vigilante, Shade appears to have gone her own way. Friendly rivalry or jealousy in action? Sources claim that the two vigilantes are romantically linked. _

_Find out more, page two._

I burst out laughing and copied the link, emailing it to Oliver just for kicks. Romantically linked. Tabloids-they obviously needed something better to do.

I spent the next ten minuted searching the web and waiting for Felicity. She came out dressed in knee-length blue dress with a black jacket and the dreaded high heels that made me look short standing next to her. I raised an eyebrow. "No fair, since when did you get taller?"

Felicity stuck her tongue out at me and grabbed her car keys. "We're not taking your bike. In this dress I don't want anyone seeing my knickers."

I sniggered and followed her out the door.

* * *

Felicity split from me as soon as we arrived at the mansion and headed straight for the food. It had been a long day and she was starving so I just grabbed a glass of wine and downed it before grabbing another.

"Might want to slow down there, twitch," Oliver spoke behind me, catching me off guard. "Tough day?"

"Tough century," I replied before turning around. "Hey, Oliver. How are you?"

He shrugged. "Trying to get back into the Christmas cheer. It doesn't seem to be working like I want it too. Everyone seems…reluctant."

I nodded my agreement. "Roy's mum ran off before Christmas when he was a kid. He doesn't do Christmas. Hence why my roomies here with me."

Oliver spied Felicity as she chatted with Walter. He sighed and pinched his nose. "When will this not be awkward between us?"

"When you admit that you were wrong for choosing Helena over me," I replied. "And Dig did tell me what she did, going rogue after her dad. I did warn you," I told him in a growl as my phone rang. I sat the wine down and had a look at who was calling. "S'cuse me, it's my contractor. Merry Christmas, Oliver." I answered the phone and drifted away from Oliver, leaving him there.

Wandering upstairs where it would be quieter, I spoke with the contractor about paint colour for the first floor, wanting vibrant hues, not anything that would make it look like the DMV. When I hung up-I could hear arguing in the hallway.

"_You lied to me._"  
"_An odd accusation coming from you._"  
Walter and Moira.

I shrank back, it was sorta like hearing your parents fighting.  
"_When you came home, you said you were through investigating Robert's death,_" Moira accused.  
"_Robert was my oldest friend,_" Walter shot back. "_Do you take me for a man who wouldn't avenge his friend's murder?_"

Wait-murder?

I curled my fists together.

That means the island wasn't an accident!

Jesus. Did Oliver know?

"_I thought I could forget about it, go back to the way things were. But you told me too many lies, Moira. You embezzled money from the company. Salvaged the Queen's Gambit. Why, Moira? What was it all for?_"

"_For leverage,_" Moira replied.

"_Against whom? Against whom?_" he demanded to know.

"_People who you made very angry,_" Moira admitted.  
"_Well, then let me help you fight them._"  
"_I can't fight them. I am them._"

I froze.

The List.

It had to be connected to the list.

I waited for a couple minutes before heading off to find Oliver. I found him as he was finishing an argument with Thea. Must be my night for ears dropping, I thought to myself.

"_All this party is doing is bringing back memories I've been trying to forget._"  
"_Thea! Why would you want to forget?_"

"_No matter how fancy the party is you throw, things will never be the way they used to be in our family. Ever again._"  
"Oliver?"

Gee Diggle that was getting interesting.

"What is it now?" Oliver growled.

"The other archer's moved to the next level," Diggle told him.

The two men rushed off to Oliver's room and I followed, lingering in the doorway.  
"_This just hit the news. He's taken hostages._"  
"_Happy holidays, Starling City. For the past three months, this city has been laid siege by two vigilantes. But the police have been unable to bring them to justice because they lack the will to do what justice demands._" The hostage was crying. "_I will kill one hostage every hour in the name of these vigilantes until they surrenders themselves to my authority._"  
I immediately took off down the stairs and sought out Felicity in the crowd. She was talking to someone and when she saw me, politely excused herself. "We have a problem."

"It's written all over your face," Felicity nodded. "What happened?"

"So many things," I told her, leaving the party and heading for the door. "The other archer has taken hostages and is demanding that Oliver and I surrender to him or he'll kill a hostage every hour."

"You're not going to do that are you?" Felicity practically shouted when we were outside.

I shook my head. "No. But what I am going to do is be the bait. Oliver will come and we'll be the bait-you're going to get those hostages out. Can you do that?"

"I'm so not ready!" she argued.

"There are two people in this world I trust to have my back," I told her. "You and Oliver. You can do this. I know you can. You can be the hero, F."

"You're the hero," she told me.

I laughed and headed towards the car.

I am no hero.

I'm just trying to stay alive.

**++++++ So Cypher and Shade are heading out. May the odds every be in their favor ++++++**


	34. Chapter 34

**++++++ This literally took weeks for me to write. I'd get a couple hundred words out than the muse would leave me. Still having not had the baby I am so freaking drained and tired. Hopefully he'll come out soon and I can get back to writing. Love you all! You're so patient ++++++**

**Thirty-Four**

The final touches were ready.

Training can only prepare you for so much.

Personal doubt doesn't exist here.

Do what your body tells you.

Follow your instincts.

The hostages are you first priority.

Felicity and I didn't speak on the way to the Watchtower nor did we speak when we suited up. She did give me a cautionary glance when she thought I wasn't looking, checking out my scars and war wounds I suppose. This made me feel bad, it wouldn't take long for scars to start making their own appearance on her as well.

I pulled my hair back out of my face and tied it back before pulling the mask and wig on. Felicity silently put her own gear on. In the mirror I watched her, she seemed pretty confident in what she was doing. I smiled slightly, seeing her in her suit for the first time, it fit perfectly.

The suit itself was similar to mine with the leather corset top with the long sleeves and gloves to match, there was a section on the inside of the right arm where Felicity would be able to insert her tablet device and cover it so it looked like a part of her suit. The leather pants had various weapon sheaths for throwing knives and the like as well as a belt pouch that she could take optional extras in if she needed it. The boots were flat and sturdy but with room enough for a long hidden blade-similar to mine in a way. The entire suit was a dark, deep blue colour with a blood red domino mask and a matching blood red wig to cover her blonde locks.

Grabbing the tablet off the bench, I handed it to her so she could connect it. Whilst Felicity did this, silently I picked up a long wooden box off the bench and handed it to her. "We can go over blade care when we get back," I told her. "But for now, this is Zhìhuì."

Felicity opened the box and pulled out the long blade. The scabbard and handle were made of the same dark blue leather material as her suit, two small buckles were attached to the scabbard that would prevent the weapon as a whole from being lost before drawn. "Zhìhuì," she repeated, drawing the sharp weapon.

"It means wisdom," I smirked. "Because let's face it, you're the brains of the outfit." I took the katana from her and slipped it in through the loops on the back of her suit before fixing the buckles. As I did this, Felicity pulled the coms off the chargers and handed me one after she'd connected hers.

She tossed me my bike helmet and the two of us headed down to the garage where our bikes were stored. Two identical Yamaha YZF R1's sat side by side, one painted black and purple with Shade delicately painted along the left side, the other painted black and blue with Cypher painted down the right side. Felicity had taken a three hour course over a three month time span to learn how to drive a motorbike. Easier to weave in and out of traffic in and also escape the police.

I put my helmet on and got on, speeding off with Felicity close behind me.

We arrived at the warehouse not long before Oliver, Felicity hacking into the police bands whilst I scanned the warehouse itself. The entire place was rigged to high hell. "_Place is wired with Mercury switches to Semtex charges_," I groaned. "_No way we're getting in there._"

"_The police want to diffuse one for HRC_," Felicity told me. "_They said it will take a while._"

I paused, hearing a slight switch in the sounds behind us. "_Nice of you to join us_," I smirked, still looking through my scope. "_Fashionably late, Hood_."

"_Last place I expect you to be_," he replied. "_New friend?_"

"_Hood, Cypher, Cypher, Hood_," I answered, introducing them. "_Dark Archer has all the exits booby trapped with Mercury switches to Semtex charges_," I told him. "_But we can get through one of the windows. Cypher's main job is the hostages_."

Oliver scanned the building. "_Middle window is open_," he pointed out. "_This archer is most likely waiting for us._"

I nodded in agreement. "_Cypher, can you block the signal to the charges?_"

"_I can try,_" she confessed, sounding a little nervous. "_You two go, I'll follow behind. If not, I can take the hostages to the roof and get the police to bring in a helicopter. Then come back._"

I shook my head. "_No. Once the hostages are safe, you're a target. Make sure there's no one else here backing up the other archer._" I tucked my scope back into my belt and took a few steps back before leaping off the building.

Oliver followed.

The two of us landed on the fire escape near the open window.

"_New partner?_" Oliver questioned.

I rolled my eyes as I climbed into the building. "_Yes. And she does know who you are if that's your next question._" I drew a throwing knife and started sneaking along the catwalk, searching for the hostages.

Oliver found them.

"_They're Cypher's job_," I reminded Oliver. "_Trust me, she's good. Just needs the experience._" I put my arm on his shoulder as he went to step forward. "_Trust me, just this once, Hood._"

He paused and nodded just once.

The two of us continued on through the warehouse, stopping when we reached an empty space, void of everything but a single solitary figure. I bit the inside of my lip when I saw what he was wearing. The uniform of the League of Assassins, something I'd never told Oliver about.

Don't start second guessing yourself, I warned my own brain. You've got this.

"_Thank you for coming_," the archer seemingly smirked. "_I knew I'd have to do something dramatic to get your attention_."

"_What do you want with us_?" Oliver demanded to know.

He made a weird sound that sounded like a laugh. "_What any archer wants-to see who's better._"

I raised an eyebrow. "_Clearly I don't need to be here._"

He suddenly fired off a single arrow at me, once which I barely managed to avoid, the tip slicing skin open on my neck. "_You're expendable._" He fired off another shot, the arrow landing in the wall behind me as I ran off to the left.

Olive fired off his own shots, the Dark Archer deflecting them and firing his own shots. I threw a knife at him, he deflected it with ease. Jumping up over a random box, I ran at the archer, he deflected my blow, hitting me across the face with his bow.

He and Oliver exchanged blows, the Dark Archer was seemingly better than both of us put together. "_First Hunt, then Ravich, and now you_," he sneered. "_I know about the list, and the man who authored it wants you dead_."

He fired an arrow at me, the tip hitting me in the left bicep, piercing all the way through. I groaned and took cover behind a pillar. This wasn't going good. Gripping the shaft of the black arrow, I pulled it out of my arm and tucked the arrow into my sleeve, not willing to leave my blood behind. Feeling the blood dripping down my arm, I got to my feet and launched myself back into the fight.

Throwing a punch at the Dark Archer, he deflected it whilst striking Oliver across the face. He punched me twice in the stomach before throwing me across the floor. Ignoring Oliver, he came over to me and struck me in the face a couple times, knocking back any attack I threw at him.

I kicked him in the knee and jumped up.

He hit me with his bow right in the knee and kicked me several times in the chest before Oliver got off a shot at him. The archer was toying with us.

"_Go!_" Oliver shouted at me. "_Shade! For once in your life-_" He grunted when the archer punched him in the face. "-_Just do as you're told!_"

"_The hostages are safe_," Felicity spoke suddenly. "_The police are coming in._"

I threw a knife at the archer. "_The hostages are safe!_" I shouted at Oliver. "_Let's go!_"

Oliver ignored me.

I struggled to my feet, ignoring the various wounds I was supporting.

Everything seemed to slow down when I saw the archer fire an arrow at Oliver, it hitting him in the back followed by another and another. I growled and slammed into the archer, hopefully giving Oliver the time to escape.

The sound of smashing glass alerted me to exactly what had happened and as I headed for the same window.

"_Nothing's ever that easy_," the Dark Archer sneered behind me.

Half expecting an arrow in my back, I heard the clashing sound of metal on metal.

My head shot up and I saw Felicity standing there, katana held out in front of her. The arrow must have deflected off the blade. Lucky bitch. She had a small smirk on her face but just enough to not really be noticed.

The archer seemed to be glaring at Felicity as she stood there. He fired again and she deflected the arrow again.

"_Run!_" she shouted at me.

I got up and limp ran over to the window. She put her arm around me and the two of us jumped out of the same window Oliver had gone out of.

"_Jesus that guy is good!_" she gasped.

"_Better than us_," I confessed with a wince. I felt like one giant bruise. I didn't think that anything was broken but it would be a couple weeks before I was back out, couple months for Oliver. "_How the hell do I explain this to Roy?_" I asked her as we found Oliver in the alley. I changed the frequency on my com. "_Dig, it's Shade. Can you follow this signal and come pick us up?_"

Silence. "_Shade?_"

"_Need help_," I told him. "_Preferably a hospital. Oliver's hurt pretty bad._"

"_On my way_."

"_You're hurt badly,_" Felicity argued with me.

"_Just get me back to the Watchtower,_" I snapped.

"_You're going to the hospital_," she snapped back. "_So help me god, Shade._"

I slumped back against the wall and sat there waiting for Diggle to get here. I'd let my fear get the better of me.

Who was the other archer?


	35. Chapter 35

**++++++ Here, have another chapter cause I'm feeling generous. If I don't go into labor or anything in the next few days, I will be doing a fight scene between Oliver and Felicity soon. After he finds out she's Cypher and challenges her to prove her worth cause Oliver is a stubborn mother. I've been fiddling with River in Gotham as well. Should be good. For now it's just notes but I should be able to start something soon. Enjoy! ++++++**

**Thirty-Five**

Almost two months had passed since our encounter with the Dark Archer.

Two months later and I found myself sitting in the Watchtower listening to the renovations going on downstairs whilst staring at a picture of our new enemy. Taking the last sip of my Red Bull, I tossed the can behind me, just missing Felicity by a couple inches.

"You're aim is way better than that," she snorted as she came in beside me, tablet in hand. "Bìnàn has gotten some pretty good press coverage thanks to Tara. I like her."

I smiled at the screen. Tara West, Moira's party planner was an amazing woman who would take no for an answer. The weirdest ideas and she would turn them into brilliant masterpiece sketches. She and Marcus were like some sort of freaky power team. Tara had offered to take over any and all advertisements for Bìnàn and had a friend working on recruitment.

Felicity was working on lining up interviews whilst I hid away working on the identity of the Dark Archer whilst also helping Moira without her knowing. After the incident on Christmas Eve, Walter had gone into the office to finish up with some work only to be kidnapped. They didn't know who by or where he was but he was gone and the trail was getting colder and colder. Every night I was out there, busting low life criminals for some kind of clue but so far, nothing.

I'd seen Roy a couple times since the whole incident on Christmas to which he was pissed off that I'd been out with Oliver. I'd lied and told him we were sorting out our differences. He believed me which made the whole lying thing worse. A guy I was developing legit feelings for and I was lying to him.

"Roy's downstairs," Felicity told me.

I stood up and stretched, feeling particularly frumpy today. "Working, F."

Felicity rolled her eyes. "You've been working none stop since you two had that huge argument over you and Oliver. I think he just wants to talk to you. Just because you're a big, bad ass vigilante doesn't mean you can't have a romantic or social life. Or are you distancing yourself from him because you have feelings for him?"

I shot her a glare. "Felicity, it's really not any of your business, is it?" I growled.

Felicity stared me down. "Considering my head almost got taken off by some looser with a pipe three nights ago because you're head isn't in the game means that yeah it is my business. Stop hiding behind the mask and suck it up."

I growled and stuck my tongue out at her, thinking that it was the only response I had for the IT queen.

"And don't forget, tomorrow night, we have the fundraiser at the Queen Mansion," she reminded me. "I'll pick your dress up from the cleaners in the morning. Roy said he even has a suit."

I grinned internally when I heard that Roy was going to wear a suit but kept my evil eye on my best friend. "Fine, I'll go talk to him. But pray tell, F, what excuse do you have for me looking like I've gone ten rounds with a bus?"

"Cocaine addiction?" she shrugged, pushing me down the stairs.

I stumbled a little but eventually found my footing before I headed down to the first floor where all the work was happening.

Roy was talking with Marcus whilst they were going over ideas for the Gamer Bay. He handed Marcus back the iPad when he saw me and came over, a brown paper bag in his other hand. "You look like shit."

"Felicity thinks it's my new cocaine addiction," I tried to joke.

Roy raised an eyebrow.

I chuckled nervously. "Sorry. I'm trying to help find Walter. It's keeping me up. Between that and this place I really should be focusing on myself but I can't. Too much to do."

Roy held the paper bag out to me. "Peace offering. Felicity says you need some time off. So I'm taking you back to your place, getting your cleaned up and we're going out to dinner."

"Bed would be so much better," I smirked.

"Maybe later," he shot back.

I dropped my bottom lip as he dragged me out of the work zone. "But-"

"You need to rest," Felicity shouted out after us.

I sighed. Burying myself into my work as a vigilante-gee-my mother burying herself into her work to escape her problems. Not really a path I wanted to go down. When we got in the taxi, I opened up the paper bag and laughed. "Doughnut holes," I grinned. "Filled with custard?"

"I don't have a death wish," he shot back.

I snuggled in against him and sighed. "I wish I could find Walter."

"Let the police do their job," Roy advised me.

I sighed. I wish I could tell you the truth, I thought. I'd never expected to come back to Starling City and become a vigilante and actually find the perfect guy.

"What's going on in that head of yours?" Roy asked me after ten minutes of silence.

"Nothing," I lied. "Just thinking about the Island."

"You never tell me about the Island," Roy frowned. "Just bits and pieces."

"I don't want to relive it," I shrugged, admitting a partial truth. The taxi pulled up in front of the apartment building and I was surprised to find Diggle waiting out the front for me. "Hey, Dig. Any word on Walter?" I asked him.

Diggle shook his head. "Listen, can I talk to River alone?" he asked Roy. "It's kinda important."

Roy crossed his arms. "You can say whatever you need to say in front of me," he argued.

Diggle shoved his hands in his pocket. "Oliver's stubborn. I've been following his mother around for a few days and last night I found out that she's got the wreckage of the _Queen's Gambit_ stored in a warehouse somewhere in the city."

My jaw dropped. "Say again?"

"She knows the yacht was sabotaged," he finished up.

I frowned. "Walter was investigating Robert's murder," I muttered to myself. "And whoever found out about it took him…keep looking at Moira."

"Oliver doesn't want me to," Diggle told me, glancing over at Roy who was a little shocked by what he'd heard. "Since this concerns you, I think you should know."

"So should the police!" Roy objected. He stared over at me. "River!"

"With what evidence?" I asked him. "Diggle's most likely to get fired if Moira finds out she'd been followed. And probably arrested. We both know the kind of power Moira Queen holds."

Roy sighed. "River-she knows whoever trapped you on that island for five years."

"We need more evidence Roy," I argued back at him. "Please-just-please. I've the right to investigate my own possible murder, don't I? It wasn't just Robert, it was my father and the entire crew of that boat. It was me and Oliver. Please-Roy. I will tell you everything once we find out what the truth is. For now, Diggle can get in a lot of trouble doing what he did."

Roy paused and threw his hands up in the air. "Fine!"

I grinned and hugged him. "Thank you!"

Roy sighed and hugged me back. "I put up with a lot of shit from you, River."

That just made me grin even more. "And that's what makes me love you even more. Now, I need a shower. Than we can go to dinner."

Roy led me inside after he waved at Diggle.

It was going to be a complicated evening.


	36. Chapter 36

**++++++ Please enjoy ++++++ **

**++++++ I do not own ++++++**

**Thirty-Six**

After a simple evening of dinner and some much needed rest, I woke up the following morning with the sunlight creeping in through the violet curtains in my room. I yawned as the sunlight hit me directly in the face. For a moment there I thought myself back on the island, the sun peeking in through the leafy canopy above us but I realized I was in Starling City.

I sighed and smiled a little. The idea of being trapped on the island for the rest of my life was one of the worst fears I had. That and loosing everyone I loved.

I sat up slowly and glanced over at Roy who was sleeping soundly on the bed beside me. "It should be illegal for you to look that good," I smirked.

Roy grinned.

At least I thought he was asleep.

"It should be," he admitted with a slight shrug.

"Pretentious ass," I smirked as I slipped out of bed and went to the bathroom, coming back to find Roy propped up with his arms behind his head. "Look at you," I chuckled.

He grinned.

I sat down on the edge of the bed. "Thank you, for last night. Not questioning me about the boat accident."

Roy sat up with a sigh. "I'd have thought you would be more pissed off about it."

"I already knew," I confessed. "I heard Walter and Moira fighting about it at the Christmas Party."

He pinched his nose. "I realized you probably already knew. You seemed so calm about it when Diggle told you." I opened my mouth to speak but he held his hand up to shut me up. "If the next words out of your mouth are to argue and not say 'good morning, Roy', don't speak."

I rolled my eyes and muffled what he'd just said.

Roy moved his hand.

"Good morning, Roy," I smirked.

Roy grabbed me and dragged me down so I was lying against him. "You're mine for today," he informed me.

I wagged my eyebrows. "Kinky."

"Don't objectify me!" Roy shot back.

I laughed and straddled his waist. "You don't seem to be upset about it," I smirked, grabbing his shaft and giving it a swift jerk.

He groaned and hit his head back on the headboard of the bed. "Jesus! River-"

I leant forward and kissed him, stopping him from talking. After a couple seconds, Roy started fighting back, our tongues fighting for the right to be the alpha in the bedroom. His fingers dug into my thighs, gripping the flesh so tightly I had suspicions that he'd leave bruises.

I pushed myself up on my knees and used the height leverage to slide onto his cock. A moan escaped us both, Roy gripped my thighs tighter and thrust upwards as I pushed my hips forward, using his shoulders for leverage.

Leaning forward, Roy latched onto one of my nipples, making me lose all sense of reality. Using this as an opportunity, he pushed me down on the bed, bulldozing into me as I gripped the sheets.

I shouted, momentarily feeling sorry if Felicity was still here but quickly losing the thought as Roy bit down hard on my nipple.

He grabbed both my hands, pinning them up against the bed in a tight grip as he gritted his teeth and pushed harder into me.

I tried to move my hands but Roy's grip was too strong, with each thrust my senses were getting weaker. Roy chuckled and craned his neck to get better access to the flesh between my head and my shoulders. He licked the skin and stared sucking on it, just hard enough to bring a mark to the surface. "Fuck!" I hissed when he bit down, hard.

Roy shouted out and slammed harder into me. With his free hand, Roy tightly wrapped his fingers around my throat and he squeezed, cutting off any air to my lungs.

I wrapped my legs around him and planted a soft kiss onto his cheek, one that soon turned heated in the struggle for air.

He tightened his grip around my neck, forcing me to remind myself that it was Roy and not someone attacking me. With one last thrust, Roy came. He buried his head in my neck, panting a little. "You're everything to me," Roy whispered in my ear, letting me go. "I love you."

I stared at him. I'd been back for six months, having been more focused on my operations as the vigilante than being an actual person. My mouth opened but I found myself with only the faculties of a fish, only able to make a sorting of gulping sound. Sure I'd thought about it but I didn't think I was able to say it.

"I love you," he repeated, planting a soft kiss on my head. Roy slumped down on the mattress beside me, slipping his hand in mine and holding it tightly.

I looked over at him. "Roy-"

"Don't say it if you don't mean it, River," he warned me. Gently, Roy cleared away the single tear that rolled down my cheek.

At that moment I found myself wanting to tell him everything. At that moment, I regretted everything I'd done since coming back from Lian Yu. I didn't want to be a vigilante anymore, I didn't want to be Shade. I just wanted Roy. "I love you," I whispered back.

Roy grinned, it was one of those foolish grins of a man who had the world. He wrapped his arm around me and pulled me in close so that I was tucked into the nook of his arm. He kissed my head and held me close. I could have confessed everything, I should have confessed everything. I should have spilled my every dark little secrete as I did with Felicity. I should have told him I was Shade but after those three little words, there was far more to lose than just a person.

In that moment the only thought that crossed my mind was that Starling City could save itself. Today I was just River and River was all I wanted to be.

A girl in love with a boy.

That was simple.

That was uncomplicated.

That was perfect.

**++++++ A little smut never hurt anyone. Hehe. I like this chapter the best I think, every possible hero has to question what their second life does to their loved ones and this is River's moment. **

**I started typing up River's exile in Gotham City cause I couldn't sleep. **

**Hope you all enjoyed this chapter **

**- MonsterSlut ++++++**


	37. Chapter 37

**++++++ Thanks for your last reviews! Love you all! Have another chapter, a little filler before the shit, once again, hits the fan. I do not own! ++++++**

**Thirty-Seven**

I loved the feel of the dress I was wearing, the fluid silver fabric stuck to every curve like water. I grinned at the reflection staring back at me in the mirror, this River didn't look like she'd spent five years in a hellish nightmare-or a day in bed with her boyfriend, I thought with a smirk.

"Do I have to wear a tie?" Roy pouted from the other side of the room, holding the black tie in his hand with a mild defeated look on his face.

I raised an eyebrow. "I could always use it to tie your hands to the bed," I suggested.

Roy smirked. "Well if you're offering."

"Time out!" Felicity shouted from the lounge room. "River! We're due at the Queen's in like twenty minutes."

"Maybe later," Roy smirked.

I grinned and took the fabric off him to fix his tie. "She's no fun." I straightened the tie like my father had taught me and fixed his collar with a smile. "Damn you look good in that suit."

"I feel weird," he replied.

"Play the part for tonight" I reminded him. "It's for a few hours, than we can leave. All I have to do is make the speech and then chat, than we can leave. Kay?"

He smiled and cupped my face. "I love you."

"I love you," I smiled as he kissed me.

Felicity knocked on the door and came in wearing a yellow dress, jacket in hand. "The car's here. For the sake of my sanity, can you two not kiss all night or even touch? I'd feel better."

I grabbed my jacket and put it on. "We need to get you laid," I smirked.

"That was uncalled for," Felicity shot back. "I left my car at work since I have to go back tonight after the party and pick up my tablet. I was running a new software update that I was in the middle of before I had to leave. Is that okay?"

"No drama," I shrugged. "Moira's leaving a little early too, she has a meeting or something." I pulled my jacket on as we headed out the door. I was somewhat nervous about tonight, dealing with the rich was so not my territory but as Tara said, I wanted the funds-I had to pay the price.

The limo ride to the Queen mansion was slow, we got caught in traffic, ending up getting there almost an hour later.

"Talk about fashionably late," Oliver whispered in my ear when we finally arrived.

I shot him a glare which faded when I saw he was holding a glass of wine. "Yay! Booze!" I grinned, snatching it off him. "Traffic sucked," I told him once I'd drained the glass.

"So this must be your roommate," Oliver smiled, greeting Felicity with a flirty Oliver Queen smile.

"Felicity Smoak," she answered. "Nice to meet you Mr Queen."

"Oliver," he corrected her. "Just call me Oliver." Oliver's eyes flickered over to Roy as he inspected the mansion uncomfortably. "And you're Roy Harper," he spoke, seeming to be accusing Roy of something."

Roy glared at him. "Oliver," he practically spat out.

"I'd like to steal your girlfriend for a minute if that's possible," Oliver smiled.

Roy shifted. "Just don't go trying to get her killed like you did before Christmas," he snapped.

"I'll be fine," I assured him as he and Felicity went to mingle.

Oliver cleared his throat. "Listen-River. I'm sorry about the business with Helena."

I blinked. "Come again?"

Oliver sighed. "I said I'm sorry."

I laughed. "Yeah, I know what you said-I just didn't expect to hear you apologise for it. Think I could get you to repeat it and then set it as my message tone?" I teased.

Oliver raised an eyebrow. "Don't push your luck, River."

I grinned a little before he reached over to hug me.

"Nice to see you two making up," Tommy spoke behind us.

"Tommy!" I grinned, breaking away from Oliver to hug him. "Laurel not with you?" I asked, searching for his girlfriend.

Tommy shook his head and adjusted his tie. "No. Trying to save the world, as usual. But your mum is here," he told me, pointing over to the bar where my mother was indeed talking to none other than Malcom Merlyn. "And so is my dad."

I winced at the tone. "You not on speaking terms with your dad?" I questioned.

Oliver cleared his throat. "Tara's looking for you," he told me.

I scanned the crowd. "Ah-yes. That would be for my speech." I hugged him again. "Thank you," I whispered.

"Anything, twitch," he smiled.

I sighed and made my way over to Tara who zoned in on me like a weapon of mass destruction. "Yes, I'm late, I know."

Tara waved me off. "No need. The food is out, the alcohol is flowing, now we need them to open their chequebooks. Go, impress, than we can start to mingle. You need to meet the people who are donating. They will want to know where their money is going and will expect results. Just tell them that a report will be sent through from your accountant at the end of every financial quarter. Than make sure to promise about letting them know, firsthand how much money was raised tonight. We'll know the final figure by Monday if they ask. But first, speech. Go."

The brunette pushed me towards the podium and cleared her throat to stop the music from playing.

For someone who could jump off a twenty story building without issue, I found myself really nervous as I looked out over the crowd of incredibly wealthy people. I bit the inside of my lip and gulped. "Wow…can survive an island for five years but a crowd scares me," I tried to grin.

They laughed.

I sighed and smiled. "Tonight we're here to raise funds for the underprivileged of Starling City. Bìnàn means refuge in Mandarin and that is what it will be for the abused and neglected children of this city. A place where they can go and get off the streets, get a warm bed, a free meal whilst a team of qualified staff help them realise their full potential. The teenage years of a person's are the most important, they're our developmental years, the time where we decide what we want to be. By opening up this refuge, I hope that we can give those underprivileged a helping hand. With the help of a good friend of mine, Charlie Allan, and the permission of Moira Queen, Bìnàn and Queen Consolidated have created two scholarships that will enable two lucky individuals to path their way to the university of their choosing."

I glanced over at Moira and Oliver and smiled at them. "The Robert Queen Scholarship and Daniel Quinn Scholarship will help two lucky individuals realise their dreams whilst Bìnàn strives to help others accomplish theirs. Services available will also centre around counselling for victims of abuse, free meals will be offered, IT services will be available with the help of my genius roomie, Felicity Smoak whom I'm stealing from Queen Consolidated-sorry Mrs Queen-mentoring services will be available for younger children, we've also got a gaming centre with age appropriate games that will be run by Roy Harper who is hiding somewhere in the crowd. Tonight is for the children, so please, please, I implore you to donate. No matter the amount, large or small, it all helps. Thank you."

I stepped back, grabbing the piece of paper and scrunching it up in a ball as everyone started clapping. I bowed my head a little and walked away from the podium, grabbing myself a glass of wine as I went.

"Well done, Miss Quinn," Malcom Merlyn smirked as he came over followed closely by my mother. "I'd like to congratulate you on your refuge."

"Um-thanks," I force smiled.

"I look forward to seeing how this little venture of yours ends up," he continued.

And I want to punch you in your smug face, I thought to myself as I sipped my wine. "Thank you, Mr Merlyn."

He handed my mother his glass and pulled out his chequebook with a smug smirk. I had a feeling that was a permanent feature on his face these days. He scribbled something down and handed me the cheque. "Good luck."

My mother shot me a smile. "I'll call you later," she told me and hurried off.

I glanced down and the cheque and almost choked on the wine.

If Malcom Merlyn was willing to donate two million than what the hell would everyone else give? I grinned. Tonight was going to be awesome.

* * *

It was almost midnight by the time I found myself at the Watchtower catching up on some much needed training. Taking my stress out on the dummies wasn't as fun as taking it out on a real person but it helped some times.

The familiar music of AC/DC Hell's Bells broke through the sounds of heavy breathing and grunting. I grabbed my cell off the bench. "Hey, Diggle, what's up?" I asked, seeing the caller ID.

"_Oliver's been shot_," Diggle told me, sounding stressed.

I froze. "The fuck?"

"_You haven't watched the news?_" Diggle asked. "_Never mind. Your friend Felicity's at the lair. She brought him here bleeding pretty bad. You need to get here ASAP._"

"On my way," I replied, hanging up.

Damn it was too soon to introduce these two parts of my life.

But sometimes it wasn't really up to me.


	38. Chapter 38

**++++++ Sorry that the chapter is small, there would be more but it would make the chapter too long so I've split it up into two. Please, enjoy ++++++**

**Thirty-Eight**

_"__Lian Yu."  
_

_Oliver nodded. "It's the name of the island, I know."_

_"__It's Mandarin for purgatory," I told him, paying with my knife whilst Oliver and Slade looked at the map._

_Oliver groaned and rolled his eyes. "It is? Wonderful."_

_Slade and I glanced at each other and returned to looking at the map. _

_"__Is that the air strip?" Oliver asked. _

_Slade nodded. "A.S.I.S took satellite images of the whole island. This is Fyers' main camp, where I was held for almost a year."_

_"__I never went there," I spoke up, "I don't think he really trusted me. I did however get to spend a lot of time in some of the smaller camps. I know them, in saying that, the guard schedule would have to be the same. Fyers seems like a man with military background."_

_Slade chuckled. "She has a brain in her head," he told Oliver, nodding at me, "more likely to keep her head than you, kid."_

_Oliver scowled. "Do-do you think that's where Yao Fei is now? At the main camp? 'Cause we could get a message to him. We can tell him we found a way off the island."_

_"__Forget about him," Slade warned him. _

_I didn't want to say anything but I did agree with him. _

_"__This is the airstrip," Slade instructed, pointing at the map. "And these infrared images show there are at last ten soldiers guarding the perimeter at any given time."_

_"__Too many of 'em for you?" Oliver teased. _

_"__No," Slade scowled. "My problem is the guy here in the tower. It's a PTAC. A portable air traffic control tower. The U.S. government set up these for disaster zones, like Thailand after the Tsunami."_

_"__So what's the problem?" Oliver asked. _

_"__The glass is bulletproof," I told him. _

_Slade nodded. "And I can't take out the tower guard with my sniper rifle. And if he suspects anything's wrong, he'll radio Fyers and we're cancelled. It'll be up to you to take him out. Up close and personal. Are you ready for that?" _

_"__What about River?" Oliver practically shouted. _

_Slade glared at him. "She's good enough to have my back, your focus is the guy in the PTAC. Are you ready for that?"_

_He sighed. "Do you think I'm ready?" _

_"__What I think is there's only one supply plane every 3 months," Slade replied. "We leave tomorrow, or we die soon afterwards."_

_"__Yeah, I pick leaving," I nodded.  
_

_"So get some sleep," Slade advised us. "We leave at 0600. Don't worry. You'll be back with your girlfriend soon enough."_

_I laughed. "Yeah. He cheated on Laurel with her sister. She probably wishes that he was dead."_

* * *

When I arrived at the lair, I navigated my way through all the renovation equipment before punching in the code for the basement room. "Diggle? Felicity?" I called out, running down the stairs two at a time, still in my workout gear. "How is he?"

Felicity looked over at me, she was covered in blood-Oliver's blood.

Diggle glanced up from his seat beside Oliver and sighed. "His heart rate's elevated, but at least the bleeding stopped." He pinched his nose and turned to Felicity. "Thanks for your help. You kept your head on."

Felicity smiled a little. "Well, I always wondered how I'd react if I found my boss shot and bleeding inside my car. Not that I helped because he's my boss. I'd help anyone who was shot and bleeding in my car."

Diggle paused for a minute like he'd missed something. "I was thinking all of this would be more of a shock."

She frowned and shrugged a little.

"What, are you saying you called this all along?" he asked her.

"I'm not saying anything," Felicity replied. "Except Oliver brought me a laptop riddled with bullet holes, had me trace a black arrow, and research a company involved in armored car heists. I may be blonde, but I'm not that blonde."

"Yeah, Oliver's not too great with the cover stories," Diggle smiled a little.

I pulled up a stool and checked his pulse. It was weak but somewhat okay.

"Neither are you," Felicity told him. "The two of you with that whole energy drink hangover cure? Please. What was really in that vial, anyway?"

"Vertigo," Diggle confessed.

The IT Queen grinned. "I knew it! I mean, I didn't know it was Vertigo for sure, but I definitely knew it wasn't something that could cure a hangover."

Diggle looked at me than back at Felicity. "Okay, I get that you suspected Oliver but what about River?"

The two of us exchanged a glance and I sighed. "Well, it was bound to come out eventually. Felicity and I-we have our own thing going. She's been doing IT work for Shade and helping out as Cypher."

Diggle froze. "Felicity? Felicity is your new partner? She's Cypher?"

"Hey!" she exclaimed. "It's believable. I can kick ass!"

Diggle held his hands up in surrender. "I'm not saying you can't! I just didn't think that you were her!"

I laughed. "Oliver will flip a shit when he finds out."

If he lives…I added in my own head.

Felicity cleared her throat. "Oliver could have come here…why come to me? I mean, he doesn't know me that well and he knows I'd tell River anything weird."

"Hard as it probably is for him to admit," Diggle frowned, "even Oliver needs help sometimes."

I opened my mouth to speak only to have the monitor that Oliver was connected to started to rapidly beep. "What's happening?!" I shouted.

"There's a syringe labelled Ativan," Diggle instructed Felicity. "It should stop the seizure."

I watched, slightly stunned as the beeping stopped and everything fell really quiet. "His heart's stopped!" I panicked. "Diggle!"

"I'm calling 9-1-1!" Felicity shouted.

"No!" Diggle shouted. "Wait, you can't."

"You know how to use one of those?" I asked him as he grabbed for the defib machine.

Diggle looked me in the eyes. "We are about to find out."

I stood up off my stool and walked away from the bench, impatient and unable to watch what was going on. Who the hell had shot Oliver? Diggle had to know.

When the beeping started again, I turned around to see Oliver breathing again and Diggle looking relieved. "Who shot him, Diggle?" I asked.

Diggle sighed. "His mother."

"Moira?" Felicity and I shouted. "His mother shot him?" I asked.

"He went to pay her a visit as the Hood," he told me. "It didn't go down so well."

I groaned and slumped back down on the stool. "Jesus, Diggle. God I hope he's okay. I don't know how to explain all this."

"It's something you two didn't think about when you started this little side project," he warned us. "What happens if you die? Something I think Felicity needs to think about before going any further into this endeavour."

"Thanks for being the voice of doom and gloom but I've made up my mind," Felicity told him. "Now we just need to wait for Oliver to wake up before we start marking our territory."


	39. Chapter 39

**++++++ I was asked why Oliver went to Felicity for help instead of River - this you'll find out in the below chapter. **

**Standard disclaimer - I do not own. **

**Please enjoy ++++++**

**Thirty-Nine**

There was this cool little Chinese take-away two blocks away from the lair. Needing from fresh air, I left to go for a walk and get something to eat, coming back with enough food to feed an army. We practically sat in silence until three or four in the morning when Oliver's change in breath told me he was going to wake up.

I straightened up just as Oliver opened his eyes. "Ollie!" I grinned.

Oliver groaned as he struggled up. "I guess I didn't die. Again."

I jumped up and hugged him gently. "You scared the crap out of me. I'm literally a million years old now. Thank god you're okay."

Oliver hugged me back. "I'm okay, twitch. I promise, I'm okay." He looked over me to Diggle. "So how am I going to explain this one? Hickey gone wrong?"

"Depends on the girl," Diggle joked.

I chuckled as Felicity played around on the computers.

"The police collected a sample of your blood at Queen Consolidated," Felicity told us, Oliver more specifically. "I just hacked the crime lab and ordered the sample destroyed. Oops," she laughed. Looking at Oliver she stopped. "I hope it's all right. Your system looked like it was from the eighties, and not the good part of the eighties, like Madonna, and, well, legwarmers. Ours is way cooler."

Oliver looked down at me as I pulled out of the hug. "Ours is way cooler?" he quoted.

I crossed my arms. "Ollie, why did you go to Felicity and not myself or call Diggle?"

He paused as if to think of a reason and sighed. "I thought that by having Felicity, you'd come back."

I raised an eyebrow. "You thought that by having Felicity that I'd come back? Do you realize how possessive and pretentious that sounds? Jesus, let's just add Roy and my sisters into the mix."

He stared at me with the trademark Oliver Queen bitch stare. "Can we go back to what Felicity meant by ours is way cooler?"

"How about we stop talking about Felicity like she isn't here?" Felicity suggested to the two of us. "Not that I'm happy with being the center of attention and all, but neither of you are my keeper. I can take care of myself." She looked at Oliver. "It's nice, in a brotherly kind of way, that you want River here so you can keep an eye on her but she's a big girl and doesn't need you to hold her hand every time she steps out onto the road." She swiveled around in the chair to look at me. "And River, Oliver's just looking out for you. The two of you working together would have a better chance of finding Walter, but in saying that, you have to stop bickering like children because we are way passed the point of childish games here. This is people's lives you're messing with. I signed on with you River to help clean up this city, because let's face it, it's gone to hell. It's no wonder this other Archer kicked both your butts with the way you're acting. And it's the fact that the two of you are running around taking out that trash that he's here. I bet you a million bucks that he has something to do with Walter going missing which means that you both need to clean your act up, shake hands and work together on this."

Oliver and I glared at each other.

I'd kick his ass if he hadn't just been shot.

"She's right," Diggle spoke up. "You'd think the two of you could sort something out."

"Or do we need to put you back on Lian Yu for some timeout?" she suggested with a slight smirk. "Cause I could totally do that."

I bit my lip and sighed before I held out my hand. "Truce?"

Oliver hesitated and shook it. "Alright, truce." He turned to Felicity. "Thank you for your help, Felicity."

Diggle snorted. "Felicity is more accustomed to helping vigilantes than we think."

I smiled. "Oliver, meet Cypher. Cypher, meet the Hood." I swear if Oliver could have lost more colour in his face he would have.

"Her?" he asked.

"Hey!" she exclaimed. "It's believable. I can kick ass!"

I held up my hand as Oliver went to speak. "Before you get up on that pedestal, remember who taught you half of what you know. Between me, Shado and Slade you were able to make it through that first two years on the island. And look at what you were before you went there. A drunken, chauvinistic bastard who couldn't see two inches beyond his own nose. It's not like I forced her into this. It was her choice. Plus, she kinda worked it out on her own than put two and two together about you."

"How?" he demanded to know.

"I dug up footage of River in a street fight," Felicity told him. "She was helping a guy in the Glades and I dug it up in case she wanted to go to the police. Totally my idea, by the way. But when I saw CCTV footage on the internet of the Hood and Shade in action, it wasn't hard. There's a distinct style of fighting there." She was grinning like she had been given the last cookie in the cookie jar.

Oliver looked at me and I grinned. "She's good, right? It's why I offered her the job. Obligation free, she can walk out at any time she wants."

"I can totally keep a secret," she grinned.

"I can't say that I'm happy with this," Oliver told us. "But, I'm willing to work with it. I need you, River. The Hood needs you. And if that means Felicity helps not with IT than I can accept that."

Felicity cleared her throat. "I'm more comfortable with the IT side of the job but I go out a couple nights a week with River. Not totally comfortable going out on my own just yet. And since I won't be working at Queen Consolidated come April, I'm happy to help you both provided we put more of our resources into finding Walter. He was nice to me when he didn't have to be."

"I think your mother knows who has him," Diggle told Oliver, almost like he was repeating something.

"Yeah, she did just shoot you," I reminded him.

"She was scared," Oliver objected, "she was defending herself."

"Or hiding something," Felicity muttered just loud enough for us to all hear.

"Like, her involvement in Walter's disappearance, or worse," Diggle suggested.

Oliver glared at him. "Diggle, we don't always know why people do what they do. But what I do know is that when I was standing in her office with an arrow aimed at her heart, she begged me to spare her, all on behalf of me and Thea. Now, I've taken down a lot of bad people and none of them brought up their kids."

"Yeah and I was convinced that I was getting a pony for Christmas when I was ten," I snorted. "Your mother is a one percenter. She knows that the boat was sabotaged, so did Walter who at the Christmas party, confessed to her and only her that he was going to keep looking at the evidence to find out who killed his best friend."

Diggle crossed his arms. "Now, she may not be in charge of whatever 'it' is, but she's definitely involved."

"Involved in what?!" Olive snapped. "We don't even know what 'it' is and until we do, she is off limits! Am I clear?"

"I'm pretty sure 'it' is the Undertaking," I told him. I paused when both Oliver and Diggle stared at me as if I had grown a second head. "It's something Broduer said before I took him out. He said that once the Undertaking is done with, we can make this town what we want it to be," I explained."What? I listen before I kill them."

Diggle rattled around for something that turned out to be a recording device. He fiddled with it for a few seconds before he found what he was looking for.

"_I made it clear to him persuasively that his plans endangered the undertaking_."

I sighed and pinched my nose.

"Is it just me or does it sound like some kind of supervillain plan?" Felicity asked, breaking the silence.

"No, it's not," I sighed. "Oliver, any involvement with your mother, the Hood can't be in it anymore. I promise I won't hurt her in anyway but I need to know. She'll be my last resort I promise but I know she knows who has Walter and we need to find out what he knows. Starting with the address where the boat is kept."

Felicity cleared her throat. "Um-I know where the boat is kept."

The three of us turned to her so fast I think we got whiplash. "What?"

She sank back a little. "Walter came to me asked me to find some missing money. I found it and it lead me to an address which I gave to Walter. I can dig it up on my tablet."

"I'll suit up," I offered.

"Not now," Oliver suggested. "I have to get back home. See the damage. But when it's finished, Felicity and I are going to talk."

I rubbed my temples. "I'm so getting a migraine."

Felicity grinned. "Looking forward to it, Oliver."


End file.
